The Bonds that Break Us
by mayghaen17
Summary: All eyes are on Rey and her Light to change the tide for the Rebellion, but her bond to Kylo calls her to the Dark. With an offer she can't refuse, Kylo draws her in. But will she lose herself around him and fully surrender, or will she turn the tides after all?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I've missed you guys more than you'll ever know! For those of you that have read my TVD stuff just know that they exhausted me fully and kinda depleted my ability to ship anything harder. Enter Star Wars and the epicness that is Reylo! I'm so obsessed and I've had this idea forever. Now that I finally have a computer, some sort of internet connect, and the will to write I can dive in again!**

ONE

Deep breath in.

Deep breath out.

Repeat.

Repeat.

Repeat.

She sighed in defeat as she encountered nothing. No sign of Luke anywhere within the Force. Rey refused to believe it even though she knew it to be an absolute truth. She wanted nothing more than to return to Ahch-To and see for herself, but she wasn't sure if she could handle that kind of disappointment.

Rey leaned back against the cool stone wall, her head resting against the bay window. The sound of the waves crashing against the cliff below were oddly comforting. The salty sea air was such a contrast to Jakku, but it only made her long for home.

Yet another reminder of how much had changed in the past few months.

She still preferred the sand.

Karthe was a beautiful planet, filled with turbulent seas and deep cliffs as far as the eye could see. The coast line above the cliffs were nothing but dense grass, giving the planet a deep green look with slashes of blue for the sea. The beaches were made of little stone pebbles and rocks that had fallen from the cliffs above. It was very scenic and made for a great hiding place from the First Order.

After fleeing Crait, the people of Karthe received their call for help. They had been here for a few days already trying to get a handle on all that had transpired. There were a few members of the Alliance here when they sent out the distress call on the Millennium Falcon and they received them right away.

Today was the meeting that General Leia had announced yesterday. Many had speculated that we would be getting their first orders and things would begin to go back to normal. One could only hope.

Rey pushed herself away from the window seat and grabbed for her day clothes draped across a chair. After changing she reached up to touch the kyber crystal around her neck, glancing up at the broken lightsaber on a shelf. Her gaze slipped to the ancient Jedi texts next to it and took a breath. She wasn't sure what she was going to do with them, but she couldn't let Luke destroy them.

Whatever she decided, Rey needed to make sure it wasn't on an empty stomach. Something brought to her attention when it churned from hunger. She tucked the necklace back into her shirt and made her way out of her room towards the dining hall.

"Rey!"

She stilled at Finn's voice. She had been delighted to see him safe and sound after all was said and done, but now it was hard. If he had known everything that happened...

"Poe's waiting for us in the mess hall," he said as he fell into step with her.

"Good, I'm starved." To avoid an awkward silence she asked, "How's Rose?"

The pep in his step slipped away a little. "She's stable," he replied, his voice strained. "The doctors say she could wake any day now."

"I hope so," Rey muttered. She could tell he liked in a way that went beyond friendship. The last thing she wanted him to experience was that kind of loss. It would be better if she woke soon because it was good to know he could turn his feelings to someone else. Rey knew she was no good for him.

"Are you alright?" he asked, stepping in front of her.

Rey's lips parted to answer, but she realized my fists were balled up at her sides. She unfurled them and drew a shaky breath. "I'm fine, Finn," she said, forcing a smile to her lips.

He sized her up and stared at her with disbelief. "What happ-"

"There you are!" Poe's shout interrupted. "Come on, you need to hurry if you want something other than fish." He placed a hand on his stomach. "I don't know if I can handle any more fish."

Rey smirked at that and felt her own stomach grumble again. "Food is food, no matter what it is," she said and stepped around Finn to enter the dining hall.

* * *

After breakfast Poe left the two of them to rally up a few of his fellow pilots while they went to the infirmary to check on Rose. Unless it was for meals and bed, this is where he spent his time. She had seen him only a handful of times; mostly due to her self-alienation. They had been there for a bit, long enough for Finn to begin his account of what happened before they regrouped on Crait before a messenger came into the room.

"General Organa requests your presence," he said to Rey before turning and leaving.

She blinked a few times before looking at Finn to make sure that it really happened and it wasn't just a figment of her imagination. "Well, I guess I'll see you later then."

"I'll be here," Finn replied with an incline of his head.

The messenger didn't say where to meet with Leia, but she figured she would be in the control room. If her suspicions were wrong, then whoever was there would just send Rey in the right direction. But she was right. When she entered the control tower, Leia motioned for the few others to leave and when they were alone, she beckoned her closer.

"I haven't really had a chance to talk to you since we reunited," she stated.

Rey nodded. "I knew you would ask when you were ready."

Just like every other room on Karthe, there was a large bay window with plenty of seating at the forefront of the room. Leia sat down at the center and pat the spot next to her. "I want to tell everyone what I have planned. I want to start missions again and save this galaxy. We needed a few days to regroup, but if we wait any longer to return to normal, we'll lose momentum." She stopped long enough to smile at Rey. "I would like to know everything that transpired from when you left to now."

Rey took a deep breath and gave a curt nod. "At first, Master Luke refused to train me. He said the galaxy had romanticized the Jedi religion and turned it from what it originally was to what it became. He told me that that was why it fell apart and he had no intention of bringing it back; that he was happy to keep its secrets and take them to his grave."

Leia's smile widened. "Sounds like Luke."

Rey nodded, her lips twitching into a smile as well. "But I kept pushing. I followed him around the island; copied his every move until one day, he caved. He told me that he would teach me three things when I was done learning, I would see why the Jedi should be a thing of the past."

She drew a shaky breath and wiped her hands on her knees. Leia reached out and laid a hand on my arm. "You don't have to give me the details, but I know it has something to do with my son. I just need to know the parts that pertain to the events and how they played out; nothing more unless you choose to do so."

She let out an equally shaky breath and nodded in relief. "When I last fought with Kylo... The day that Han..." She shook her head and cleared her throat. "We lashed out with the Force and connected in a way that I didn't know was possible."

Leia squeezed my arm for comfort and nodded towards the empty control room. "No one is to enter until I allow them access, Rey. You can tell me everything that transpired. I will not judge you nor will I lose my temper as my brother may have."

Rey smiled wearily. "The more I learned how to meditate and connect with the Force, the freer my mind became. Somehow that allowed Kylo and I to connect on some level." She took a deep breath and swallowed hard. "The first time we saw each other, we took a shot at the other and the blasts charred the walls. I could see his surroundings.

"The second time we just ended up talking. It wasn't a long conversation, but I saw a side of him I hadn't seen before. He was…human."

Leia's smile wavered and Rey saw her eyes shine with unshed tears. "He wasn't always the way he is."

Rey nodded. "The third time we were talking again, but Luke walked in to my hut and saw him. He attacked, but the connection severed and Luke was so angry he almost banned me entirely."

She chuckled. "Oh Luke."

Rey pulled herself from her grasp and stood up, wrapping her arms around herself. "The next time I saw him…"

She shuddered.

Rey hadn't even been able to admit to herself the events of that night let alone say it aloud to his mother.

It only took one look at her to know that she knew. She stood up and took a gentle hold of her biceps, forcing Rey's pacing to a stop.

She looked up at Leia, a single tear falling from each eye. The rest of the story came pouring out of her like a busted pipe. She could see it all happening perfectly in front of her as if it were happening again. The light saber slicing through Snoke like butter, the way Kylo and she fought as if we were of one mind, and the minute they both realized they wanted different things.

Rey flinched as she felt the force of the saber breaking from their connected Forces. As the image of her running from Kylo's sprawled out form faded to Leia in front of her, she felt a little relieved getting it off her chest.

"The next time I saw him we were boarding the Falcon and I put up mental blockers from him. He wanted to rule the First Order and just refine it. He didn't want it to end and he wanted me to rule by his side. I told him that wasn't what I wanted and that it was over."

Whatever it was.

Leia sighed and took a step away, turning her back to Rey for a brief moment. "Sometimes we must sacrifice our feelings for the greater good. Sometimes we must remind ourselves that not everyone can be saved."

Rey blinked a few times, taking in her exact words.

She turned back to her and took Rey's hands in hers. "He will always be my son and I will always wish that he will listen to what little Light remains in him, but for the success of the Rebellion, if he does not change, I will do what I must to leave the world a better place. Sons and daughters in the future should not have to live in a world ruled by the Dark. My son is a small price to pay for the future." She squeezed her hands lightly again. "Do you understand, Rey?"

At first she simply stared at Leia, but then found herself nodding. "I understand."

Leia let go of Rey and stepped back. She squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. "I would highly suggest you keep the events of what transpired to yourself or as vague as possible. Tensions are already high and we do not need anything to add to them."

"I never had any intentions of sharing that with anyone else."

"Tonight I will tell people how it was you who killed Snoke and fought your way bravely back to us. If any word got out about Kylo having done the deed, people will think he has changed. I need to know that you will corroborate whatever I tell the others at the meeting tonight."

"Absolutely," she replied without hesitation.

"Then I will see you along with the others in a little while, Rey."

She took that as her dismissal and vacated the control room. She stood outside the doors and closed her eyes. As good as it felt to get that off of her chest, it was going to be harder to forget her feelings. With a heavy sigh, she pushed herself forward in search of Poe or Finn; either of them were proven distractions that she desperately needed.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This is going to be a slow burn, btw. And kind of on the angst-y side. ...as per usual!**

TWO

Kylo sat on the oversized chair in his room, a hand raised to his temple. Planning to extinguish a rebellion and try to hold on to his new title as the Supreme Leader was harder than he thought. He knew what Snoke's end goal had been, but now that he was in the control seat, he wasn't so sure he wanted that. He believed in the Order and a unification of the galaxy, but now was the time to go about it the way he truly wanted.

That thought brought anger to mind as he thought of Rey and her refusal of his offer. He saw a chance to remake the galaxy in a way unlike anything else before and she refused him.

It didn't help that he could feel her in their Force bond. She was always there, a beacon of Light calling to him every so often in the back of his mind. When he was in control of himself he was able to bury the sensation, but it was times like these that he wanted nothing more than to reach out.

He smirked into the darkness of his room. He remembered in the elevator leading up to Snoke that she had said she'd seen the future. In her version he had renounced the Dark and gone with the Light.

What he never got a chance to tell her was that he had had the opposite vision from their first contact. He had seen a future where she had turned to the Dark.

Whatever the outcome, one of them would be right.

His hand gripped the arm of the chair as he thought Luke's final words about him not being the last Jedi. He recalled Rey's face as she slammed the bay door of the Falcon on his face during their last encounter.

After all that had transpired, she deserted him. Just like everyone else in his life.

A rap on his door pulled him out of his thoughts and the few items he had in his room came crashing to the floor. He got to his feet and slammed on the pad with more force than necessary. "What?" he bit out.

"General Hux-" the stormtrooper began.

"I am aware that we have a meeting. You may tell the General that I will be there in a moment."

The stormtrooper stood there a moment. "Yes, sir," he replied and walked away.

Kylo surveyed the chaos of his room, took a moment to ready himself for the day, and then began to head towards the meeting room.

The General was laughing with a few other officers when Kylo entered. A sound that ended the moment he was noticed. "So happy you could join us, Supreme Leader," Hux said with a mocking tone.

As Kylo approached his seat at the head of the table, he reached out with the Force to fling Hux out of the room where he landed with a thud. Kylo closed the door and surveyed the officers before him. "What news do you have for me today?"

"General-"

"Can stand to be silent for a moment. If no one else would like to share, then I guess I'll be needing new officers." He glanced around at each of them and fought the urge to sigh. It was exhausting trying to determine who of them were loyal and who would seek to usurp has he had. "Any news on the rebels or their whereabouts?"

"No, sir," the lone woman at the table answered. "We finished the analyzation of Crait and came up empty. I did the final analysis myself. They put out several distress signals, but no one returned their cry for help."

Kylo inclined his head to her. "See?" he asked the rest of the men seated. "Was that so hard?"

"Their numbers are smaller now, sir. They are harder to track," Hux interjected as he walked back into the room, limping a little.

"I am well aware of their numbers."

"They couldn't have gotten far then," someone chimed in as Hux took his seat far away from Kylo.

Kylo did sigh at this. It had been more than a few weeks since Crait and he was sick of bringing up the rebels. "I believe the opposite, in fact. Their many ships and high numbers were easy to spot, but with so little of them, they are easier to hide. The Falcon is a ship made just for that." He waved his hand in dismissal. "As it were, our attention is better spent on original goal; the galaxy."

"Sir, the rebels-" Hux exclaimed from his seat.

"Will always be there. We will continue our search for them and eventually they will stomped out, but if we put all of our efforts in that, we will have made no progress with the rest of the galaxy."

"I agree with that plan, sir, but may I suggest something?" the woman asked. He motioned for her to continue. "We may not have found where they went, but we were able to see all the planets they hoped would pick up their message. A vast majority of them were on the outer rim of the galaxy and even more were planets not on our radar."

Kylo's brow raised at that. "Go on."

"It would take some time, but with this list, we could wipe out their safe zones. With success, they would be forced to hide in the open and would make easier targets. I can do this on the side with a team while you focus on unification."

"I would like weekly reports. You are dismissed to begin."

"Thank you, Sir," she said as she rose to her feet and hurried out of the room.

"There," he said to the room, but aimed more at Hux. "Now, any more brilliant suggestions or do I have to plan everything myself?"

Kylo slumped back into his chair as the officers began tossing out ideas, hoping that theirs would be as well received as the last.

* * *

Kylo stood on the bridge of The Supremacy pondering what he should do about the rumors. He knew from the moment General Hux had seen Snoke's crumbling body that he was planning a way to keep Kylo from fulling becoming their leader. He knew there was a part of Hux that didn't believe the Jedi could have killed the Sith lord. It didn't help that he hadn't put any effort into making sure he had allies within the ranks. He had only ever had to report to Snoke.

"Sir?"

Kylo's eyes moved to the trooper before him and motioned for him to continue.

"We have reports of Rebel sighting on Draxxen."

"From?"

"Head Chancellor of Draxxen. He sent a brief message via holopad to General Hux."

"Where is Hux?"

"In the Conference room. He sent me to find you, Sir."

Kylo nodded and followed the trooper. When he stepped into the room, the speaker of the holopad was just signing off. Hux stood there with a smug smile on his face. "The Jedi has been spotted in Draxxen."

"Just the Jedi?"

"And the pilot Dameron."

Kylo narrowed his eyes. "Was the Falcon spotted?"

"No. Just these two. They have been there a day. Not sure how long they will be there. We should-"

"We are not going."

Hux's eyes widened. "Why?"

"We are not going, General, but I will assign someone to monitor the situation in Draxxen. I want a tracker on their ship."

"If we can take out the Jedi-"

"She will sense me coming, but no one goes after the Jedi girl unless I instruct them. Do I make myself clear?"

Hux swallowed in distaste, but inclined his head. "As you say, Supreme Leader." The sneer was loud and clear in his voice.

"Any news on Lanaura?" he asked to change the subject. He wanted all talk of Rey to be over.

"They seem strong in remaining neutral. They are not associated with the rebels, but they hold tight to their ideals of being allies without submission."

"Then I suggest we take your army and remind them that we only ally with those that recognize the First Order as the only way. Take them down."

Hux licked his lips and his eyes shone with the lust for blood that Kylo knew he harnessed. "Right away, Sir."

Kylo let them tend to the upcoming sack of Lanaura in order to make his rounds as leader. As he rounded a corner, the hallway of the ship disappeared and was replaced entirely with a lush forest. The Force thrummed at him and he turned around slowly.

Sitting in a small pile of leaves was a child. The leaves were suspended around her and she was staring wide eyed in childish wonder. She was turned in his direction, but either she was so enthralled with the leaves that she didn't see him or...

Light overwhelmed in the Force as Rey walked into the picture, staring at the child with the same wonder. Kylo froze. If she saw him, she didn't give any indication of it. She was too focused on the child. However, that focus was short lived and the moment their eyes met, he felt a shove so forceful he staggered into the wall of the corridor he was in.

He immediately tapped into the connection they shared and found her walls to be stronger than ever. He knew her concentration wouldn't last forever, but for the time being, he was blocked out.

More importantly, that child could wield the Force and Rey had found her first.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: There's gonna be a sprinkling of Poe and Rey here and there, but it really goes nowhere. I like the idea of them together in her attempt to ignore Kylo, but it just felt forced when I tried to work it in, so... I went with the guy that tries :)**

THREE

Just after the big meeting with Leia and those that remained, missions had begun. The one Rey and Poe had been tasked was going to Draxxen and meeting with an arms dealer. Supposedly he was an ally to the Resistance by selling to the First Order, but if Leia trusted him, Rey went with it.

They had only been there for less than a day before Rey had felt it. She was familiar with the constant Dark presence that was Kylo that lingered at the back of her thoughts from their Force bond, but this...this was different.

The feeling had come to her just before bed, but was still just as prominent in the morning. Rey mentioned to Poe that she wanted just a little more time on the planet. Knowing that, of everyone, she would be able to tell when danger was lurking, Poe was more than fine to add on a little time away from Karthe.

After they had stopped for something to eat, the feeling lessened and Rey felt Kylo more than anything. In order to drown him out, she asked Poe about his adventures with the Resistance. He was more than happy to oblige, jumping into story after story of his missions.

"But none of that compares to what it was like seeing you standing there with giant boulders floating around," he said in conclusion to his latest story. "That was hands down, the best thing I've ever witnessed."

It was that moment that Rey realized how close they were standing. She smiled up at him and turned a bit, pretending to be interested in the leaves of the tree beside them. "It is a neat trick," she admitted.

He reached up and took her hand gently. "It's more than just a trick, Rey."

She didn't have a response, but she sensed the change in the air around them. She swallowed thickly and watched as he leaned in. An image of Kylo face flashed before her along with the ghost of his lips on hers.

She turned away again, clearing her throat.

"I'm sorry," he said, trying his best to remain casual. "I didn't mean to overstep-"

She shook her head, but before she could reassure him, she felt it again. She looked over his shoulder and took a step forward. She closed her eyes and grabbed on to that fleeing feeling and attempted to follow it.

"Rey?" Poe called, racing after her.

She ignored him and moved through the heavy forest until the feeling overwhelmed her. She saw a child sitting in the middle of the trees, a few leaves hovering around her. The Force wrapped itself around the child and Rey felt Light wash over her.

The feeling was short lived as her connection to Kylo intensified and she looked across the child to see him there. She knew it was the connection, that the Force around this girl had pulled him in. She pushed back with every mental blocker she had and he disappeared with visible impact.

The leaves floated back to the ground and the child leapt to her feet. Rey held out her hands to show she meant no harm. "Do you speak basic?" Rey asked, keeping her voice as calm as possible.

She nodded.

"I'm not going to hurt you," she promised.

The child relaxed ever so slightly.

"My name is Rey."

"Alyxnia."

Rey smiled and slowly put her hands at her side. She reached out with her mind and brought the leaves off the ground again. The girl stared in wonder and smiled. "You're not alone," Rey promised.

* * *

It hadn't taken long for Alyxnia to warm up to Rey. Soon the trio had gone to her dwelling and spent some time with her family. They had all found a lot in common and it was easy to convince them to go back to Karthe. Leia received them with open arms as Rey knew she would have. Once they were set up in their new quarters, Rey met with Leia in her chambers.

"I didn't think anyone else could wield the Force," Rey wondered, sitting next to the window.

"Never underestimate the Force, Rey," Leia cautioned. "Ever since it awakened in you, it seemed to have awakened everywhere else. I do believe the Force is on a resurgence and it's about time."

"There might be more like Alyxnia out there."

They held each other's gaze and Rey was grateful that Leia knew exactly where she was going with this.

"I agree." Leia tilted her head at the pained look that passed through Rey's eyes.

"He saw her," Rey said, her eyes falling to the floor. "When I found her in the woods, he was already there. He definitely saw the leaves in the air and he knew it wasn't me."

"Kylo was in Draxxen?"

Rey shook her head. "Through the Force-bond. I think her presence in the Force called to him as well. It was such a strong feeling."

Leia closed her eyes and sighed, leaning back in her chair.

"If there's more, I need to find them before he does."

"Do you think you'll be able to do that and keep their presence from Kylo?"

"I was caught off guard and I let my walls down. Now that I know what I'm looking for, I won't let it happen again."

"Bringing them all to Karthe will be dangerous."

"I can find a place for us," she said and got to her feet. "Maybe find one or two more out there with the Force in them and then I can take them to the new location and train them. With more Jedi, the Resistance will have a better chance."

"I will have someone look into suitable planets that are well off the grid. I do not want you going alone." She stopped long enough to smile fondly. "I think having Poe on something else might help with his listening problem."

Rey smirked. "Thank you, Leia."

With that, Rey took her leave for the night. When she got to her quarters she found Poe standing outside. He looked surprised to see her coming from the opposite direction, but he quickly smiled at her. "You're still up."

"Just talking with General Organa," she replied before opening her door. "You can come in if you'd like."

He followed her inside, but stayed towards the door. "Anything worth telling me?"

Rey shook her head. "Just discussing plans for Alyxnia. She gave me the go-ahead to search for more people like her. Like us. And she did say you can come with me." She cleared her throat. "Finn can come too, but I don't know if he'd want to leave Rose."

"Don't forget about Chewy."

"I don't think taking the Falcon will be a good idea. The most hated ship of the First Order will be easy to spot. It'll be much easier to search right under their noses if we don't draw attention to ourselves."

"Well, that might be hard as the rumors are that you're the girl who killed Supreme Leader Snoke. The Falcon might be the most hated ship, but you're the most hated person."

Rey sighed and ran her fingers down the spine of one of the Jedi texts. As trustworthy as he seemed, she knew she couldn't tell Poe who really ended the former Sith.

Leia was the only soul she felt comfortable sharing that knowledge with.

"Regardless, I don't want to take the Falcon. For now." She turned towards him again and crossed her arms over her chest. "What brings you to my door so late?"

"I wanted to talk about what happened before we found Alyxnia."

Rey schooled her features and waited for him to continue.

"I just wanted to apologize if I made you feel uncomfortable. That was not my intention."

"I know that," she said and gave a light smile. "You don't have to apologize for it, Poe. You just caught me off guard."

His brow arched and he smirked. "So...if you hadn't been caught off guard?"

She thought about it for a moment, but didn't' let herself dwell for too long. "I'm not sure. All I know is that there's just so much going on that I've never had time to think about...distraction."

"Well," he started and took a step forward. "I'd be more than happy to be a distraction." He scrunched up his face at that and shook his head. "No, that sounded horrible. Please let me take that back."

Rey laughed and nodded.

"I know you probably haven't had the chance to really talk about what happened since all of this started for you, but if you ever need a friend...or even something more, I'm here for you. And I completely understand if you don't want anything to do with me based on how completely sleezy I just sounded."

Rey truly let herself laugh at that and it was the first time in a long time she had truly felt...normal.

"I appreciate that, Poe. I really do. I've never really had any friends before Finn and I wouldn't mind having another one."

"Well, when you're ready to talk, I'll always be there."

"Thank you."

He hit the button for the door to open and slid into the hall. "Goodnight, Rey. Tomorrow we'll get the group together and put together some missions?"

"Absolutely. Goodnight, Poe."

The door shut as he walked away and after a moment of staring at the door, a familiar sensation washed over her. She ground her teeth in anger and whirled around yelling, "Get out!"

But no one was there.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: oh cliffhangers! Fun to write, but a bitch to read :) sorry!**

FOUR

For the all the military power Lanaura had, it hadn't taken long for their leader to come to his senses and call for a truce. The message had come by recorded transmission directly to Kylo, asking for a cease fire. He wished more planets would realize that complete destruction of their planets was not the ultimate end goal of the First Order. What was the point of blowing everything to bits if it left nothing to rule in the end.

Hux however, was very disappointed. It didn't bode well for Kylo. The General was so fixated on the way Snoke ran the First Order that he didn't fully understand how key this was. And without the distraction of conquest, that left the idea of hunting the Jedi down back on his radar.

"It could be a trap!" Hux remarked after Kylo instructed his large escort to be reduced down to five for the two of them.

"We have dealt with Crayelle before," Kylo stated. "She is reasonable and wise. If it were a trap, it would be a poor one."

"Snoke would have-"

He didn't even have to use the Force now to keep the other man quiet. All he had to do was twitch his fingers with the promise of a threat and the fear seized him. "True power is not always brute force."

Hux was wise with no response other than to follow Kylo and the stormtroopers to their small air craft to carry them to the surface. They landed right in front of main gates and passed by with many a look of hate. It was nothing new to Kylo and he brushed it off as they marched up to the leader and her closest advisors.

"Supreme Leader," she greeted, her voice tight and conflicted.

"Crayelle," he returned and followed her inside. Once they were behind closed doors, Kylo began. "I'm glad you were able to come to your senses so soon. I would have hated to destroy this fine planet."

"Do not mock me," she seethed, trying her best to remain calm.

"I'm not," he assured her. "We both have Lanaura's best interest at heart."

Her nostrils flared, but she held her tongue.

"Have you brought me here to swear allegiance?"

Kylo could see the rage behind her eyes and the seething daggers directed at him, but she nodded. "Yes. Lanaura was not meant for war. If the First Order would be so kind as to forgive us for resisting, we would be happy to pledge allegiance."

Even if it took every ounce of her soul to say it, it was done. The words were out and could not be recalled. "Smart move."

"I'm doing this for the innocent lives at stake. I will not sacrifice my people's lives for my political beliefs."

There it was. Her pure desire to fight until she died. However she was willing to forego that desire in effort to be a great leader. She would make an excellent ally.

"Our goal is unification," he reminded her as contracts were being drawn up around them. "In order to be true ally's we have to rely on each other and understand one's needs."

"I suppose you'll be leaving troopers behind?"

"Do you have a plan to negate our alliance and betray us?"

She held his gaze evenly and shook her head. "No."

"Then do not expect us to do the same," Kylo urged and a questioning glance flared towards him. "You wish to spare the innocent lives of your planet and I respect that. They are members of the First Order now. As long as they abide by our rules and forego any ties to the Resistance, only those that are willing to join us will come along."

She hadn't been expecting that.

"Stay true to the First Order and we will return the favor in kind."

"Thank you," she said, her entire demeanor changing.

"All of my troops will be gone by the end of tomorrow," he assured her as they signed the contracts. Without anything else to say, he turned and made his way back to their transport, Hux and troopers right at his heels.

* * *

The moment they had stepped aboard the Supremacy again, Hux had tried to argue with Kylo over his decisions. Kylo didn't wish to speak of it. He had reminded Hux that he defiance was beginning to irritate him more than normal and it wouldn't be tolerated for much longer. After that he had gone about his other duties, checking in with various other teams both on the ship and those stationed elsewhere. Reports seemed to all be favorable.

His last stop was Captain Novak; the one who had the brilliant idea of using the rebel base of Crait to get intel on the Resistance. She had just come back from Crait with her latest report and he was looking forward to that the most. He found her in his office with a tidy pile of reports. Just one of the reasons she was becoming his favorite.

"Captain," he greeted as he entered.

"Supreme Leader," she replied, getting to her feet to greet him.

Once they were both seated, she started presenting her findings towards him. Kylo was impressed with how much she had uncovered in such a short time span. She explained her findings here and there while Kylo flipped through reports.

While the reports were many, each file was light. Most of the planets that had ties to the Resistance were desolate and abandoned. Those that were inhabited were on the outskirts of galaxy. From the reports, their numbers were far fewer than Kylo could have ever imagined.

"You trust your team to keep their mouths shut about this research?"

He didn't need Hux finding out that their enemy was weaker than they thought.

She gave a curt nod. "I picked those that were most loyal to me."

"And who are you most loyal to?"

She stared at him for a brief moment, letting the true meaning of his words sink in. "The First Order, Sir."

"Make sure no one else sees these but me."

"I have not made copies, these are the original files. They stay with me everywhere I go."

He smiled a little. This woman had intelligence. "Keep it that way. You're doing very well, Commander Novak."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Sir?"

"It was well earned," he replied, getting to his feet. "It grows late, Commander. We shall continue this next week."

"Thank you," she said, taking up her files and vacating the room.

Kylo followed in pursuit of his quarters. The day had been a long one and while things had gone far better than expected, he was ready to end the day on a good note. Progress was being made and that was all that mattered.

After getting ready for the night, Kylo settled himself in the center of the floor in his room. Meditation was far overdue and he needed to clear his mind in order to move forward. It didn't take long for the Dark to wash over him like the cleansing shower he had just come from. It caressed him; lulled him.

He could feel Rey and the Light, just off to the edge of his mind. He could feel her walls, feeble as they might be now, but he had no interest in pushing her. Not now. Instead, he just focused on the Force and the energy it provided. The Dark gave him peace; the Light would only cause turmoil.

The he felt it.

Just a blip on the radar; a powerful one.

He reached for it and followed where it led. It was such a small speck, but it burned so bright in the Force that it was easy to follow. When it stopped he found himself blinded by Light.

Rey was near.

And another.

Kylo was familiar with this sensation now. It was similar to the one that had brought him to Rey last time with the girl in the leaves. This time it was just a presence in the Force, not a visual, but he could still judge where in the universe they were. All he had to do was reach out and latch on to see them in real time, but he hesitated.

The presence faded, but Rey's remained.

He latched on to it and found himself sitting on the floor across from her.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Their first meet-up since she declined his offer!**

FIVE

Rey wasn't startled when she found herself knee-to-knee with Kylo. Her meditation had her following another lead through the Force and in order to do so, she had to let her walls down. She knew she would have to face him. They were connected. The only thing that she didn't know was if he had followed that same feeling or if he had only come to her. It wasn't worth the risk to ask and she buried the thought of the lead deep within her mind.

"I wondered when you'd turn up," she said.

"You made it very clear you didn't want my presence."

Her eyes blazed fire, but she remained calm. "I turned down your offer and you came after me and the others will full force. I hurt you and you lashed out like a little child."

"I was acting like a Supreme Leader."

Rey shrugged. "You can leave now."

"Do you have somewhere to be?"

Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "I'm sure you do, Supreme Leader," she taunted.

He swallowed thickly. She was getting to him and he didn't like it. He got to his feet and she mirrored him. "At least I can walk in the open without fear of being found."

"We wouldn't have to hide all the time if the First Order wasn't so hell-bent on destruction of the galaxy."

"Unification."

She shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest. "You're destroying everyone who crosses you. If you keep pushing, there's going to be nothing left to unify."

"That's what I'm trying to change."

Her eyes went wide.

"If you had accepted my offer, I would have been able to share that with you. I told you we could be great together; we could truly change everything."

He took a step towards her and he saw the way she swallowed thickly. "We want completely different things."

Her voice was less steady.

He stepped forward and she visibly faltered.

"Do we?" he asked, enjoying the way she reacted from their proximity.

"Yes."

Her voice was weak; all trace of confidence gone.

He reached up with his right hand, cupping the soft skin of her jaw. He tilted her head up and met her gaze evenly. It was exactly like the last time he had seen her through their bond. Before she had come to him in person.

"You're wrong," he whispered and lowered his lips to hers.

She lifted her hands with every intention of shoving him away, but when they made contact with him, she only pulled him in closer. They were drawn together this way, but to experience this was something else entirely. Kylo was trying to prove a point; one that she was going to cave into if she wasn't careful.

She pulled herself back just enough to catch her breath. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks and it was all she could do not to go back for more. "Kylo..." she whispered.

He tilted her face up again. "My offer still stands, Rey. Together we can do great things for this galaxy. Think about it."

His lips grazed across her forehead and from one heartbeat to the next he was gone.

* * *

"REY!"

The sound of Finn screaming her name had her sitting up bolt right in bed. She brought a hand to her head as it throbbed from coming into contact with the shelf above her.

"Rey!" he yelled again, opening her door and coming in to shake her.

"Good god, Finn. What!? What if I wasn't decent?"

"Don't care, Rose is awake!"

"That's great," she said, rubbing her temple. "Why did you leave her to tell me this?"

"Because the nurses made me," he said, flopping down on the bed at her feet.

"You know they'll call you the moment you can go back."

He nodded, but the smile remained plastered on his face. "You weren't at breakfast today. Or lunch."

Rey put a hand on her grumbling stomach and looked at him with surprise. "I didn't know I could sleep that much."

"Are you feeling well?"

She thought about it before she nodded. "I feel fine." In fact, she felt so well that it was eerie in a way. She felt calmer than ever before. The constant hint of Darkness at the edge of her mind even brought her some sort of peace. "Great, even."

"I can tell you're hungry," he said, getting to his feet and pulling her with him. "Let's get some food."

Rey didn't bother objecting. When they got to the mess hall, there wasn't much left, but Rey was too hungry to be picky. She piled her tray with anything they would give her and let Finn do all of the talking while she shoveled the scraps into her mouth.

"Now that's a sight," came Poe's voice as he joined them.

Rey swallowed and washed it down with a drink of water. She grimaced from the saltier than usual taste. "Never been this hungry before."

"Are we going to discuss Operation Jedi?"

Rey's features twisted and she shook her head. "Not if you ever refer to it as that again."

"We'll think of something clever," he said and leaned forward. "But seriously, we need to start planning."

"Planning what?" Finn asked. He groaned when they exchanged a look. "Guys, c'mon. Please don't keep me out of the loop. You guys are my only friends except for Rose."

"I found someone that can harness the Force," Rey said, keeping her voice low. "We brought her back and we're planning on finding more like her and a place to move us all to."

"You're leaving!?"

Poe smacked his shoulder and motioned for him to keep his voice down. "No one knows about this."

Finn took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay, okay. Just please don't leave without me," he said and got to his feet.

Rey looked behind her and saw a nurse scouting the room. She waved Finn over and he left with her.

"You alright?" Poe asked, drawing her back.

"Great actually."

"Might be all the sleep you got."

She grinned and took another small bite of food. Now that she had taken a break from eating, her stomach was registering that it was full. "Much overdo. I honestly don't think I've ever slept so well."

"Must have been some meditation session."

Rey blushed as she ghost of Kylo's lips brushed across her forehead. "Something like that," she said, taking a drink of water. "I think I found another one."

"So soon?"

"I was surprised too. I didn't get an exact location, but I have an idea of where to search."

"When should we go?"

"Soon. I was thinking tonight. I want to let Leia know and check on Alyxnia."

"And maybe look at this," he said, taking an envelope out of his jacket.

She pushed her plate away and dove into the contents. There was a report detailing two planets. Both were former out posts for the Resistance and both we known to be operational, but abandoned.

"Either one of these would be good. Do you mind if I show these to Leia?"

"Sure, keep 'em."

"Thanks," she said and got to her feet, taking her tray to the trash. "You coming?" she asked.

"You want me in the meeting with Leia?"

She tilted her head. "You're the only one going on these with me. Why wouldn't I want you there?"

She felt a twinge of guilt asking that. Mostly she didn't want to discuss this alone with Leia because she didn't want to discuss Kylo.

Not now.

Not ever.

He shrugged. "You and Leia do a lot of talking on your own. I figured it was going to be like that again."

Rey's brows lifted and she couldn't help but crack a smile. "You're jealous."

"Uh, no."

"You so are!" she said, nudging him with her elbow. "You used to get all the cool missions on your own to save the day and you're jealous that she seems to be handing them all to me. Poe, I promise you, it's not like that."

"I know, it's the Force thing."

"She was the one to assign you to help me, you know."

He lit up a little at that. "She did?"

"I was all ready to take this on on my own, but she said it would do you some good; maybe help with your listening skills."

He sighed heavily and hung his head. "I'm never going to live that down."

"Nope. Just prove her wrong and change the way they see you. Do this with me as my partner and you'll go down as a major legend in the history of the Resistance."

"I already am a big piece of history," he stated, stopping their walk in the middle of the hall.

"Well, here's your chance to make it bigger," she said, smiling at him. "C'mon, we need to go."

"What's the rush?"

Rey hesitated. She hadn't told him about her bond with Kylo nor did she have any intention of doing so. Sure, it would help explain a few things, but then she would have to go into greater detail. Something she did not want to do.

"Excitement?"

He grinned and put his hand out for her to shake. "This is going to be an excellent partnership."

She took his hand and shook it, returning his smile with a genuine one of her own. "Let's go."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: this is probably one of my favorite scenes to date. This and the one in chapter seven. I hope you enjoy it too! Side note- I forgot about the Supremacy being destroyed so...we're just gonna pretend it wasn't.  
**

SIX

Tensions were high in the First Order.

With nothing to aim his forces at, Hux was left to his own devices and was doing everything he could to get on Kylo's last nerves. But Kylo was at a loss of what to do. Under Snoke, he was given orders and he carried them out. At the moment he was feeling as though he had exhausted his best plans already and was at a loss for what was to come next.

The only thing he knew was that Rey had a child in her possession that needed to be taught how to use the Force.

And they had found another who would need the same.

He knew Rey was going after the new lead and the only plan he seemed to be able to formulate was how to get her to come to him instead. He had tried being nice to her. It was clear that he had made some sort of impression as she hadn't flat out refused him again.

Yet it had been a few days and there was nothing.

Her walls were back up.

All he knew was that he wanted Rey by his side. He was convinced that the two of them would be the ones to truly do something for the galaxy in the end.

He just needed her to do that.

It was that train of thought that led Kylo to the conclusion of what he had to do. He needed to follow that lead the Force had shown him; the same one he knew Rey was going to go after. Only he had to get there first.

When it came down to it, Rey didn't know enough to teach them anything and having a bunch of children out there together in one area without a sufficient leader was not a good idea. He should know. Had Luke been a great master like the rest of the world made him out to be, maybe he wouldn't have tried to kill a twelve-year-old boy in his sleep.

In the long run, the more people that could wield the Force while fighting for the Resistance would not end well for him. No. He had to get to them first and give them the training they deserved. The Knights of Ren were all Dark Masters in their own right, but he knew he didn't control them. When the time came, he knew he couldn't rely on them, but if he had others, ones that he trained…

The galaxy wouldn't take long to unify after all.

The hardest part was going to be finding something for General Hux to keep occupied with so that he could execute his plans without worrying if his subordinate was going to do something stupid and mess everything up. It was bad enough that the General questioned his every move as it was.

"Sir?"

Commander Novak was staring at him in a way that he knew it wasn't her first attempt in trying to get his attention.

He waved a hand to invite her in and she closed the door behind her. "Sorry to interrupt," she said.

"You're not," he assured her. He studied her as she took a seat and lifted a brow. "Today isn't our scheduled meeting."

"No." Her hazel eyes flashed with pride.

"You found something."

She nodded and handed him an envelope. "I haven't finished my report, but I knew I couldn't sit on this until our next meeting."

Excitement coursed through him as he flipped through the early stages of the report. It was a listing of one planet; one that he could recall from his childhood.

 _"You're going to that dump?" Han asked, his voice low._

 _Leia made a face at him and crossed her arms. "We have to. No one has been there since the Resistance was first formed. We left a lot of resources behind, Han. If we stand any chance of growing, we need to go to Arawa."_

 _Han shook his head in protest. "It's right in the middle of some heavily guarded First Order systems. That's why it was abandoned in the first place. Not enough planetary resources and dangerous territory. There's no way you can get in and out safely."_

 _"We have to try."_

 _"We don't-"_

 _"Mom? Dad?"_

 _They both looked at the small child. While Leia smiled, Han remained impassive and took the opportunity to leave._

Kylo felt the sting of rejection even now as he pulled himself out of that particular memory. He vaguely remembered that being around the time when Han showed his face less and less around their homestead.

If he remembered correctly Leia had barely made it home from that mission.

Things would have been better if she hadn't.

He'd have nothing to stop him from crushing the Resistance.

"It's full of Resistance material. I assume it's going to hard to hack into, but I believe I can do it. From satellite images we have evidence of several aircrafts. Things I'm sure they could use right now."

He nodded. "They've tried to get back to that base before, but something prevented them."

"Location?"

He shook his head. "Something on the planet itself. Do more research on native life and report back to me. If it's safe enough for you, I'll send you and the others to gather intel. Once we know what we're dealing with, we'll wipe it off the map."

"Right away, Sir," she said, gathering her materials before taking her leave.

He left shortly after her to seek out his least favorite second in command. He didn't have to go far before Hux turned up marching down the hallway towards Kylo. "Sir!" he shouted.

"General. Any news on the tracker placed on the Jedi's ship?"

"No. It went offline the moment they left Draxxen." He shook his head. "We have another matter to discuss. Reports of battle on Exedis-One."

That was unexpected.

"The Resistance?"

"Not officially."

They stared at each other for a moment. He knew what Hux wanted, but he wasn't going to give him immediate satisfaction. "Put an end to it."

"It shouldn't take long."

Kylo knew the planet was one of those that was neutral and as far as he could remember there weren't any resources there that would benefit the First Order immediately. "Make sure it won't happen again. You do not vacate until we have them under the First Order."

"Right away, Sir," he said and turned around immediately before Kylo could change his mind.

It gave Kylo the ability to do what he needed to do.

"You, TL-5864," he said to the next stormtrooper that passed him. "Round up your unit and meet me at The Silencer in twenty."

"Yes, Sir," the trooper replied.

It was time to follow the lead and find the mysterious presence on the other side of the Force.

* * *

Since people were still used to seeing the fierce Kylo Ren in his mask with an army of stormtroopers at his side. But here, in plain clothes walking through the streets alone, mask-less, Kylo was free to move about. The only one he had to worry about was Rey.

She was here; he could feel her.

It was taking all of his efforts not to let her know that he was there too.

The ten stormtroopers he had brought were fanned out throughout the town, waiting for further command. They were told to alert him if they saw the traitor FN-2187, Dameron, or the Jedi. Or anything unusual for that matter.

It was getting late. They had wandered around the city for the better part of the afternoon and the two suns were sinking beneath the horizon. It was once the planet was covered in darkness that he heard the sound of blasters in the not so far distance.

Kylo swore under his breath and took off in that direction.

By the time he had arrived to the scene, everything was in absolute chaos. Dameron was firing his blaster left and right at the troopers. The little patch of town they were in was crumbling around them.

He spotted Rey a short distance from Dameron with a young man behind her. She was using the Force to keep the blasts away from them. If she had brought her saber, she wasn't using it.

Foolish.

"GO!" Dameron yelled, taking a few more shots at the stormtroopers.

Rey pushed out with the Force and Kylo felt himself taking a step back to steady himself. He watched as she ducked down another alley, completely hidden to the troopers.

He reached out with the Force and projected himself out on another level.

Rey stopped short at the sight of him, chest rising and falling in short bursts as she tried to catch her breath. She put an arm out to stop the teen from going any further.

"I should have known you were here!" she yelled at him.

"Step aside, Rey."

Confusion washed over her, but Kylo saw the moment it gave way to reality. Her features twisted into that of determination and she stepped forward if defiance. "You'll never lay a hand on him."

"We both know that I have the upper hand here, Rey."

Her eyes darted around for an exit strategy. The sound of blasters was getting closer.

Kylo raised his hand and Rey lifted into the air.

"NO!" the teen shouted and stepped forward, his arms outstretched.

The Force sizzled in the air as he attempted to tap into it, do inflict some level of harm to Kylo. He could only smirk at the effort and twitched his fingers, sending Rey to her knees on the ground, pinning her there.

The sound of a blaster echoed between the buildings and a stream of white went through his projected form only to stop in the stomach of the teen.

"NO!" Rey yelled, struggling against him.

Kylo let her go to catch the teen as he fell. He turned to see Dameron behind him holding a blaster, a stunned look of regret on confusion on his face. Kylo smirked as he let himself return to his body.

He brought his transmitter to his mouth and gave the command. "Fall back. It's over."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: oh the angst :)  
**

SEVEN

A beam of plasma ricocheted around them and Rey felt someone pull her to her feet. Tinos' lifeless form settled on the ground at an awkward angle, his mouth still open in surprise. Tears clouded her vision, but anger fueled her forward.

Their feet carried them through the city effortlessly. Neither one of them stopped to catch their breath or talk about what happened until they were inside their aircraft. Even then, it wasn't until they reached the safety of space of auto pilot that they felt comfortable enough to speak.

"Rey, I'm so sorry, I didn't-"

She shook her head and wiped her cheeks of a few tears slid down them again. "It wasn't your fault, Poe."

"I had him in my sights. He was so real. I took the shot."

He got up from the pilot's chair and paced the small space behind them. He looked at his hands in disbelief before running them over his face and through his hair.

"I took the shot," he repeated.

Rey was on her feet right after him and grabbed his hands in hers. "It wasn't your fault," she said again, this time with a little more force. "You have to believe that. I would have done the same. There was no reason for you to believe he was anything other than real at that time."

"Tinos-"

"Don't," Rey cautioned, keeping her voice low. "Don't go there."

The plea in her voice must have been the final straw. A tear escaped his eye and rolled down his face. "He was just an innocent kid."

Anger coursed through her as Poe broke.

She put her arms around him and he buried his head into the crook of her neck. He was strong, but the reality of it was too much. She knew she would feel the same if the roles had been reversed.

His arms tightened around her, finding more comfort in her embrace than he thought he would. Her fingers thread through his brown curls and she whispered words of comfort to him. It seemed to work. His sobs stopped and the overwhelming grief ebbed.

When he collected himself, he lifted his head and Rey found herself getting lost in those chocolate pools. Her breath hitched as he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. He pulled her closer and her fingers involuntarily tightened their grasp on his locks.

Dark washed over her.

Anger followed.

Not all of it was hers.

She felt disgust well up as she pushed Poe away from her.

Not at him for his actions.

But at herself for comparing it to him.

And preferring the other.

"Not like this," she rasped out.

He nodded and rubbed at his chin. "You're right. I'm sorry," he said and reached for her hand.

She let him take it.

"We need to take out Kylo Ren."

She didn't disagree.

"We need to go back to Karthe; to Leia. We're not doing anything until we have a clear head. If we do something now we're going to get ourselves killed."

Poe could only nod in agreement. "I hate that you're right."

She was too.

* * *

The moment they reached Karthe, they told Leia about all that had transpired. It had taken every ounce of Light she had to relive the details without breaking down. The loss was harder to discuss than it was to remember.

Leia had ordered they both rest up and find a way to cope as she had a plan in the works for them.

Poe had turned to drink in order to drive the demons from his head in the hopes of some sort of rest.

Rey had simply left the base and made her way towards the nearest bluff. The walk with the ocean breeze usually did her good to clear her head and it was one of the best meditation spots. By the time she got there, the sun was completely gone from the sky and the moon was on the beginnings of its journey for the night.

She looked out over the edge of the cliff and after a moment of staring at the turbulent waters below, she screamed. The wind carried it away and when there was nothing left of her voice, she sank to her knees.

She knew she just needed to tap into the Light and let it calm her. But she wasn't interested in that this time. The Dark called to her instead and she grabbed hold of it.

To him.

The bluffs disappeared only to be replaced with the interior of Kylo's quarters on The Supremacy. He was there in the plain clothes outfit she had just seen him in. He didn't look surprised to see her, but he was cautious.

Her fist was in the air before she even was aware of it moving.

Kylo caught it in his hand and shoved her away from him. "You're misdirecting your anger," he chided.

"You-"

"Didn't do a damn thing!" he fired. "If memory serves, it was Dameron that pulled the trigger."

"Because of you!" she yelled.

His head tilted to the side and the lightest traces of a smirk tugged at his lips. "The Dark becomes you."

"I am not Dark!" she shouted.

He didn't comment. Instead, he raised his arms out to the side and gestured for her to come towards him. "I felt the presence in the Force, same as you. I went to investigate it, same as you. I felt the loss in the Force when his life was extinguished," he said, stepping forward. "Same as you."

Her fears came to light. He could sense them; they both could. If she continued to go after them, so would he.

"I will find them," she vowed. "Every last one of them and we will rise up and defeat you. Your precious First Order will be nothing in the end."

"How do you propose to teach them when you yourself barely know anything about the Force?"

She stilled.

"We'll learn together."

He took another step forward, this time moving one hand forward in an offer for her to take. Her eyes flickered towards it and then back up at him, confusion and anger burning brightly in her hazel orbs.

"I can teach them more than you ever could."

"You can only teach Darkness."

"I can teach them how to harness it, yes, but I know things about the Force that you couldn't possibly imagine. How many lessons did Luke offer? How many were useful?"

"You'll never get any of them. I'll make sure of it. This will never happen again."

He took another step forward and Rey stiffened. His outstretched hand lifted slightly. "Or," he started, tilting his head at her. "You can join me and we can teach them together."

If anything was going to bring her to his side, it was going to be this. It was an offer she couldn't refuse. Not forever.

Her eyes went wide and she felt a shiver rise up her spine. Whatever she had come here for, that was not what she had expected.

She looked at his hand again and his words were on repeat in her mind.

The Dark called out, caressed her.

Her fingers twitched as her hand rose for a split second before dropping back to her side.

In the blink of an eye, he was in front of her. The wall bit into her back, his hand wrapped around her throat. His dark eyes bore into hers.

All the anger, the hurt, the sadness… It disappeared. It gave way to lust and desire. Her body thrummed with something she hadn't felt before and her eyes closed as she surrendered; his lips taking hers captive. His hands slid down her sides until they reached her hips, digging in to hold her steady.

The Darkness sung. It wrapped around her like blanket, pulling her closer.

Light surged forward, clearing her mind.

She pushed him away from her, a burst of Light burning brightly enough to make him shield his eyes for a moment.

"I saw the future, Kylo. You will let the Light in."

"That remains to be seen."

She shook her head and stood her ground, tilting her head up with renewed confidence. "I will never join you, Kylo Ren. To hell with the First Order. To hell with you."

His jaw ticked as he buried the disappointment deep within the recesses of his mind. He would never let her see that she had this kind of effect on him; bonded or not.

"I will not offer again."

She knew that.

"Nor will you stay Light."

A thousand questions swirled through her mind, but the sound of the ocean drowned out the train of thought he tried to follow. As if being pulled through time and space itself, she felt herself moving backwards and stopped only when she was on the bluffs of Karthe once again.

She fell forward, her palms smacking the sharp rocks littering the sparse patches of grass on the ground. She shut her eyes as the sickness worked its way out of her system. When it was over, she let gravity take hold and flopped onto her back, the moon high above staring down at her. The pain of the rocks in her back brought her an odd comfort of reality.

She closed her eyes and used the rest of energy to call forth Light. She needed it now more than ever. Once her mind was devoid of everything else, she succumbed to the lull of peace that sleep offered hoping that she didn't dream.


	8. Chapter 8

EIGHT

"We need something big. Like the Death Star," Hux said as they went over plans to take out Exedis-One. The planet had turned out to be more trouble than it was worth. At the moment, they were actually dangerously close to losing their stronghold on the planet.

"I have no intention of reliving that failure," Kylo replied.

"It only failed because of the Resistance." Hux eyed Kylo cautiously before he continued. "Which wouldn't fail again if they weren't part of the equation."

"We would have to find them first," another Commander interjected.

Something flashed in Hux's eyes and Kylo leaned forward in his chair. "Say it or I will make you say it," he threatened.

"We had someone come forward and say they heard the refugees were hiding on Karthe."

Kylo thought about it. It was close to Crait and on the outer edges. Typically it was just a planet full of ocean, rocks, and fish. It made too much sense for them to go there that Kylo was mad that he hadn't thought about it.

"Any confirmations?"

"Not yet, but I can have that within a week," Hux promised.

Kylo hesitated. If they did confirm they were on Karthe, he would have no choice but to go there; full force. While ending the Resistance would be a good way to continue his business with the First Order, there was slim chance that defeating its most loved heroes would just spark another renewed frenzy throughout the galaxy.

Leia would be dead.

Rey…

"Do it."

She had made her choice.

And he had made his.

"And Exedis-One?"

"The Death Star was expensive and took too long to complete. We don't have that kind of time. Call in all the Star Destroyers we have and-"

Kylo stopped when his eyes passed over Commander Novak. Another idea formed. To share this with Hux would cement his decision.

"Commander Novak has had some interesting finds using the information obtained from the base on Crait. Such information was the planet Arawa. Tell us what you've uncovered there."

She stood. "It must have been an important base at one time, but I believe that the native life became too much. They must have left in a hurry because they left many resources behind; including very powerful ships."

Hux looked from her to Kylo.

"And?"

"We can use those ships to take out Exedis-One. If it seems as though the Resistance is attacking they won't know what to do. In their confusion we will crush them. Those ships are in excellent condition. After Exedis-One we can continue to use them to our advantage. Who would want to support the rebels if they're the ones sweeping through the galaxy?"

Hux nodded, his eyes blazing with approval. Not that Kylo needed it. "How soon?"

"We're going to need extensive manpower to get out of there quickly. From Novak's reports, the native life forms are rather large and fast. As long as we're strategic and patient, we can be in and out in no time. I want the two of you working on that. Contact me once you have that plan in motion," he said and took his leave, deeming the meeting over.

He walked towards the control room in search of the new head of the stormtroopers. He had been saddened to learn of Captain Phasma's demise. He rather liked her. Her fierce attitude and her loyalty. Her replacement was equal in loyalty, but lacked her attitude.

"Sir," Major Haas greeted.

"Major," he returned. "I want a small crew ready to go by the top of the hour."

"Yes sir," he replied, the mask he wore making his voice raspy.

Kylo sighed as he thought of the mask he had smashed to bits on the elevator after Snoke had made him take it off. He rather liked the contraption. He nodded in satisfaction and made his way to the hangar bay where the others would soon join him.

In the short time since their last encounter, Kylo had felt another presence in the Force. This time, he wasn't waiting to feel her near it; he was going to go after it himself.

Winner take all.

* * *

Kylo wasn't even sure if this planet should even be categorized as one. A large star maybe, but not a planet. It was even more strange to think that people lived here in these conditions. There was nothing but fog and marshland. The humidity in the air made everything cling to him as he trekked over muddy ground.

Last time he had brought a small group. This time he brought forty stormtroopers. He was counting on Rey only having herself and Dameron again. Potentially the traitor FN-2187, but Kylo didn't count him as an obstacle.

It was the gnats and other small bugs that made him want to turn around and go after the next one. They were awful and they followed him around as if he were their beacon. He had even taken a scrap of cloth from his cloak in order to put it around his mouth and nose.

He gave the command to halt.

 _There_.

He took a moment to test the waters of the planet around him and came up empty. There was only him and the other. She was nowhere on their radar. A small smile crept to his lips as he gave the command to stay put.

A man around his age came around the corner and stopped when he saw Kylo and the horde of troopers behind him. He held up his hands, the sack he had had in his hands dropping to the ground, the contents spilling out.

"T-take it!" he offered, kicking it towards Kylo.

"I'm not here for that. I'm here for you."

A sharp piece of wood stopped just before it touched the spot in the center of Kylo's forehead. His eyes moved upwards to see it hovering there as he used his own pull of the Force to send it right back at the other man. This time it hovered over the heart.

"I am not the enemy," he said, letting the wood drop to the ground after a moment.

"You have the gift of tapping into the Force. With my help, you can learn to truly harness it."

The stranger eyed Kylo cautiously. "What do I have to do in return?"

"Join the First Order. Swear your allegiance to me and no one else."

Kylo knew it wouldn't take much more than that. There wasn't a large population on this planet. Those that did dwell here had a mundane life. What Kylo was offering him was an escape; one he couldn't refuse.

"My name is Praxton," he said, inclining his head. "And my allegiance is yours, my lord."

He motioned for him to come forward. As he walked past Kylo, her presence brushed the back of his mind like a lover's caress.

He reached out.

Not enough to truly connect, but enough to let her know it was done.

 _I told you I would find them._

A wave of anger from her brought a smile to his face as he brought his new companion back to the ship.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: So I hadn't planned on Reylo seeing each other at all in this chapter...but they weren't having that so here we go!**

NINE

"Am I doing something wrong?" Alyxnia asked.

Rey let out an aggravated sigh, but shook her head. "No, Lyx, you're doing fine."

Alyxnia eyed her wearily. "Okay..."

Rey called out to the Light, but it didn't do anything to calm her this time around. She leaned against her staff and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. It's really not you."

"It's Kylo Ren, isn't it."

"Yes and no. It's complicated."

"It's not," Alyxnia insisted, setting down the stick Rey had found for her to practice with. "He's evil and you're good."

Rey's lip twitched into a smile. "I wish it truly were that simple, Lyx. I really do." She patted the girl on the head. "Why don't you go in for lunch? I'll be in in a bit."

Alyxnia was gone before she had even finished her statement.

Rey tossed the staff back and forth between her hands and thought of their lessons so far. She had had Alyxnia focus on the connection to the Force and understanding that it was linked to everyone and everything. That it was something they were lucky to have access to and should not be abused.

Rey could also teach her to fight without the Force thanks to all her years as a scavenger having to look out for herself. She could teach defense and the basics.

But other than that...

 _I could teach them more than you ever could._

Kylo's words swirled around her, making her anger harder to contain.

She struck out with her staff. It would have felt better to strike at something other than air, but this would suffice. With each slash at the air, her anger rose. Stroke after stroke, Rey could feel herself boiling over with rage.

It wasn't until her staff came crashing down on a boulder and split it in two that she came snapping back to reality.

She stared over the edge of the cliff and focused on the tide below. She tried to catch her breath by matching it to the ebb and flow of the water. She could feel the sweat running down her back and face.

She closed her eyes and tried yet again to call the Light forward to calm down. This time she was met with pure Force. It took her breath away. She felt it compressing the air around her. She felt the ground pulsing with it under her feet. She could hear the waves crashing below, but they sounded like they were right next to her.

"Rey?"

The Force relinquished its hold of her and Rey opened her eyes. They widened as she saw the boulder she had broken her staff on floating in midair over the cliff. It only remained for a moment before it went crashing down to the sand below.

Rey turned to see Poe and she gave an apologetic smile.

"Hey."

His eyes traveled up slowly from her feet until they met her gaze. His brown eyes were filled with worry. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"Forgive me if I don't believe you."

Rey brushed some loose strands of hair from her face and took another deep breath. "I'm dealing with it."

"Well dealing with it alone doesn't seem to be working for you, Rey. Please talk to me or Finn or even Leia. You've been so withdrawn since Tinos." He paused to clear his throat. "I get it, Rey, I do, but this isn't good for anyone."

"You don't know what I'm dealing with," she fired back. She had given up on trying to be calm for the day.

"When it comes to the Force, no, I don't." He stepped forward and took her hands in his. "Rey, I'm truly worried about you."

She didn't want to discuss this with anyone, but he was right. She couldn't keep this to herself forever. She could stand to share a little; but not everything.

"Everyone talks about the Force and Light and Dark and that it's so easy to just pick one and stick with it. Luke and Leia say it's a choice, but I don't feel that. They say the Dark was never appealing to them, but it's always calling out to me and sometimes it's more comforting than the Light.

"I don't know enough about the Force and with Luke gone, I feel like a letdown. Everyone's looking to me to be the next great Jedi master, but I barely know anything. I wasn't with Luke long enough. I don't even know what to teach Alyxnia. It's all too much pressure.

"I'm just a scavenger from Jakku. All I wanted to do was get out of there and I did. I'm not cut out for this."

For the first time in near a week, a small wave of Light came settling over her and finally left her feeling a little better. If it wasn't for that constant flicker of Dark calling to her from Kylo at the end of their bond, she would feel completely normal.

"See?" Poe said, offering a small smile as he squeezed her hands reassuringly in his own. "Doesn't that feel a little better to get that off of your chest? And yes, you are cut out for this. You're amazing, Rey. You just have to believe in yourself the way we believe in you."

"I saw a vision of the future," she added, her voice low. "Kylo turned towards the Light and came to our side."

Something flashed in his eyes and Rey thought it was a fleeting moment of jealousy. He reached up and tilted her face towards his. "That is not your problem. If it happens, fine. He is not your responsibility, Rey."

She nodded.

Poe drew her in and wrapped his arms around her. Rey relaxed and took the comfort he provided. When he let go, he kept one of their hands joined together. "I came to tell you that Rose is asking for you."

"Let's go see her," Rey said and walked towards the city hand-in-hand with Poe.

* * *

With Rose in better spirits, Finn was able to come with Poe and Rey on their lead to the newest person with abilities in the Force. Poe and Rey had been scouting the planet, not wanting a repeat of the last time. Finn helped and it felt good to have two trusted people at her back with this one.

The entire time they were out, Rey couldn't help but notice it was too easy. Even when she tried her best to get Kylo's location, his walls were up and he was more distant than usual. Whatever he was doing, it wasn't the same mission.

After introducing Kalen to the others and finding him quarters, Rey had retired to her own for the evening. Even after lying in bed for some time, she found herself curious as to what kept Kylo from coming after her.

She tapped into her link with him and followed it until she found herself standing in his quarters on the Supremacy. She looked around cautiously for Kylo, but didn't sense him. Rey's eyes scrunched in confusion. She tentatively took a few steps until she found herself at the doorway to the attached bathroom.

Nothing.

She found herself snooping in no time flat. A part of her knew she could just go back to Karthe, but deep down she knew she couldn't leave until she saw him. That knowledge left her with mixed emotions; ones that she buried deep as she looked over his book shelf.

There were various sizes and languages; most of which she couldn't read. The ones she could she struggled with. Whatever subject they contained was out of her grasp.

"Find anything to your liking?"

Rey spun around to Kylo coming into his room, his cape fluttering around his feet as the door slid shut behind him.

She swallowed over a tight throat. "I found another."

"And you came here to gloat." He half smirked at her. "That seems a bit beneath you."

It was, but she couldn't think of anything else to say. She had no reason to be here.

The only reason was to see him.

That realization left her a little flustered.

"You once told me that I was just a scavenger from Jakku. That I was nothing and no one in this story." She took a step forward, fists balling up at her sides. "But I'm not nothing. I'm a pretty big part in this story."

She was close to him now; enough to feel the heat of him.

"And you're not nothing either."

He schooled his features, but he couldn't hide the emotions swirling around inside. She felt all of them in her mind as they clashed with her own.

She reached for his hands and laid hers on top of them.

One moment with him caused pure rage while the next granted peace.

 _Balance_.

She moved her hands up until they touched his face. He watched her with curiosity as her fingers grazed the scar on his cheek. He grabbed her wrist to hold her immobile. For a moment the world seemed to still and an eerie calm surrounded them.

 _Balance_.

The next instant, everything changed.

They moved as if sharing a single mind just like the time they fought together after Snoke's death.

He brought her to him as her fingers tightened around his jaw, bringing him in. His lips crashed down on hers as his arms wound around her, holding her tight to him. The odd shape of the door bit into his back as Rey's soft form molded to his front. Her other hand found its way into his hair and she thread his locks through her fingers to pull him in closer. His fingers dug into her hips and the pain elicited a moan from deep within.

At the sound of that, Kylo picked her up and turned, slamming her against the door. She groaned from the momentary burst of pain. He took advantage of her parted lips to deepen the kiss.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and cupped his jaw between both hands. From this angle, she could feel him pressed against her and the arousal that it wrought. She relished in the way his tongue felt as it brushed against hers and the way he nipped at her bottom lip on occasion.

Before she could even truly enjoy the sensations, he moved them again, this time to the bed.

Reality of the situation kicked in as she felt herself sink into the mattress while Kylo pressed down above her. Instead of resuming their frenzied kiss, Kylo reached up and brushed a stray piece of hair from her face.

"You're not nothing. Not to me."

She traced the scar on his cheek again and looked up at him through her lashes. A tear slid from the outer edge of her eye and slid back into her hair. "Then what am I to you?"

He moved off of her and they adjusted until they were lying on their sides facing each other. He laced his fingers with hers with one hand and wiped away her tear with the other.

"I'm not sure yet." He squeezed her hand.

All she could do was nod and take comfort in his presence. "I want to see you," she whispered. "In the real world, not just through the Force."

His eyes darkened. "We will."

She knew that was as good an answer as she as going to get. She knew she should go, but she didn't want to. Whatever it was that drew her here was keeping her. His presence was more comforting than she ever thought it could be.

Her lids grew heavy the soothing way he traced her skin lulled her to sleep. She felt his lips brush across hers lightly, but when she opened her eyes she was back in her own bed on Karthe; alone.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: This one is a little shorter than normal, but it's a necessary one**

TEN

She was coming around.

He knew that it would be only a matter of time before she realized the brilliance of his offer and finally accepted it. The thought of being so close made him more confident; something that showed as he organized their excursion on Arawa.

More importantly she said that she wanted to see him in person. He hadn't even dared to think about asking her that.

She was braver that he thought.

Commander Novak had images of all the native life forms surrounding them. Even with all the Force in the world, Kylo was a bit intimidated. No wonder these ships and supplies had been left behind. He wouldn't be surprised if they weren't there anymore.

"We're going to need a small army just to get through that," Admiral Urthu said, his voice full of doubt.

"That's if they even bother us," Novak said. "Judging from thermal images and other research, these life forms have been found quite a distance from where we need to go."

"And who's to say we won't attract them?" Urthu countered.

"Nothing our great Supreme Leader and his new Sith in training can't handle, I'm sure."

Novak looked appalled. "You can't possibly think that our leader would be going on this mission? If something were to happen, then what? Two leaders in that short of time span would make us weaker to the galaxy." She stopped and turned to Kylo. "Not that you couldn't handle yourself, my lord."

It wasn't helping his stance within the First Order to have her fight his battles, but the look of panic on Hux's face was well worth it. "I am more than capable of handling myself, but I do believe General Hux and his army would be better suited for the task. You wouldn't want to fail me would you, General?"

"No, Supreme Leader. I will not fail you."

Snoke would have never gone on this mission himself as he never went on any of them. He would have sent Kylo with Hux had he still been around.

"Good. Take as many troopers as you need. Novak and I will be planning the re-invasion of Exedis-One; the one that will take place should you not fail."

He rose, signaling the end of the briefing. Everyone filed out except for Kylo and Novak. "Permission to speak freely, Sir?"

"Yes."

"Reports have been confirmed that General Organa and what's left of the Resistance have been found on Karthe." There was something about the way she stared at him that didn't sit well.

"And?"

"Hux found out and ordered an attack. They left this morning. They should be two days out."

Kylo ground his teeth. He couldn't recall the troops or he would be usurped for sure.

When Hux returned... If he returned, there was going to be some major changes in the First Order.

"Two chances for him to prove his worth," he stated. "Let's start planning for Exedis-One, shall we?" He didn't want to speak about Hux or Karthe. Too many emotions were vying for dominancy in his head and he needed to stay focused. He could take his rage out on something else later.

She inclined her head, but she wasn't done. "There's more, Sir."

"Out with it."

His patience was wearing thin. Any more bad news and he didn't think he would be able to calm himself.

"There are reports of stormtroopers... defacting."

He remained emotionless.

"They seem to have been following the footsteps of FN-2187."

"If the attack against Karthe is successful, there won't be a rebellion for them to join."

It would have to be something he got to after Arawa and Karthe.

"Anything else?"

"No, Sir."

Kylo was relieved to hear that. "Let's focus on Exedis-One." Hopefully planning would take his mind off of it for the time being.

* * *

No matter how hard he tried to slip away and give Rey a warning that the First Order was coming for them, he hadn't been able to. That meant they would have less time to prepare, but it was better than nothing. At first, he hadn't even thought about warning her, but something in the back of his mind couldn't let that be the end.

After everything had been completed for the day, he was finally able to get the privacy he required. He wasted no time in tapping into their bond and reaching out for the Light he knew to be her. He followed it; the sight of the Supremacy fading away to a rundown building with dim light and a salty smell.

He looked around for any signs of her, but only came across the sights and sounds of a bustling community. He walked through them knowing they couldn't see him when using the bond. He could feel her presence getting near with each step he took and the anticipation of seeing her was something he hadn't experienced before.

The scent of fish clung to the air and so did the salt. It was not a good combination, but one that seemed to get stronger the further along he went. It was revolting, but it all disappeared into the background as he stared into the entrance of the cafeteria and laid eyes on her.

Anger boiled over as he saw her sitting at a table with Dameron across from her. Their arms were stretched towards each other over the table and their hands were intertwined.

Her head lifted and she recoiled from the pilot when she saw him. She made some excuse and hurried away from him. Kylo turned and walked away, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't leave.

"Would you wait up?" she asked, pulling him to a stop.

He shrugged away from her touch and crossed his arms. "Was that your plan all along?"

Her brows furrowed. "What?"

"Don't play coy with me, Rey. I saw the way you were-"

"It's not like that," she insisted. "It's nothing like that."

There was something about the way she said that last part... Almost as if she was disappointed. "But you want it to be?"

She met his gaze evenly. "No. He keeps trying, but I keep…" she blushed and turned away, shaking her head. "I don't have to explain this to you. Why are you here?" Her arms folded across her chest in defiance.

He looked around them and was pleased to see that they were alone at the end of a corridor. "You need to evacuate."

Her eyes went wide in alarm.

"You were found on Karthe and someone gave the order to attack without my knowledge. You have a day."

"But you're their leader... How could you not have known?"

He reached out and cupped her jaw. "I promise you, Rey. It wasn't me."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I won't let you be a martyr for the Resistance," he said, withdrawing his hand. "Should the Jedi and the great General Organa be taken out in one pass, there would be an influx of Resistance rising against us."

Rey rolled her eyes. "Well, thank you."

"Get out of here, Rey. Before it's too late."

As she nodded, Kylo found himself back in his room. It felt right to have helped, even if it wasn't in the best interest of the galaxy, he knew it was in his own.


	11. Chapter 11

**a/n: sorry for the delay guys! I had finished this story and then kinda forgot about it. But here we are. I know this is a shorter update, but there's so much more to come**

ELEVEN

Rey nearly collided with Poe as she rounded the corner. He reached out to catch her when she lost her footing. "Slow down," he warned.

"Can't," she rasped out before continuing on her mad dash down the hall for the control room.

"What's so important?" he asked, chasing after her.

"Just come with, you'll see."

Two Karthean guards blocked them from entering. "The Elders are meeting with your General. It is private."

"This is important," Rey said between breaths.

"You cannot-"

Rey used the Force to fling them aside and pushed open the double doors. Everyone turned to look at her and Poe in surprise. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but we have a serious problem."

Leia stood from her spot at the conference table and approached Rey. "What is it?"

"The First Order." She took a moment to truly catch her breath before she continued. "They found us. They're coming for Karthe and we have less than a day to evacuate."

"Are you sure?" an Elder asked from the table.

"I wish I wasn't."

"How do you know?" another questioned.

Rey exchanged a knowing glance with Leia before she looked towards the Elders. "I can feel them in the Force. I can't tell how many, but if we don't evacuate now, we'll soon find out."

The High Elder stood. "I believe that concludes our discussion. General Organa, we are to proceed with our evacuation plans."

"We will as well, thank you Veracia. For everything." She turned towards Rey and Poe. "You two have your responsibilities, I suggest you carry them out."

"Where are we going?"

"We only have enough fuel to make it to one of two outposts," Leia said, a grim look in her eyes. "And only one of those has allies on it. We won't have time to warn them, but I think Zaltana will help us in our need."

Leia left to fulfill her duties, but when Rey tried to follow, Poe held her back.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" she asked.

"That look between you and Leia." He shook his head. "It wasn't the Force that told you."

"No it wasn't, but that really doesn't matter right now, Poe. We need to make sure everyone is safe. Are you coming or what?"

It had taken the rest of the day and well into the night before all the Kartheans and the Resistance were on their separate evacuation routes. Everything had gone smoothly and there was far less panic than Rey thought was going to ensue.

By the time she was able to retire for the night, she was downright exhausted. Rose, Finn, Poe, and herself had been the last ones to report to the Falcon for transport. Rey was especially tired given that she had used the Force to make sure they had gotten everyone they could.

Despite her exhaustion, Finn had made her join them for dinner. She was grateful for their company, but the comfort it brought only made her more tired. Poe walked her to her quarters on the ship; both of them turning in the for the night with Chewie behind the wheel for the moment.

"I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't react appropriately."

"Doesn't matter now," she assured him, her speech slurred with the need to sleep. "I'll see you later."

She slipped behind the door and collapsed onto the bed. She landed on her side and her eyes closed almost immediately. She took a deep breath as the mattress closed around her, lulling her off to sleep.

She smiled as she felt an arm wrap around her waist, a solid chest pressed against her back. "Did you make it?" he whispered, his breath sending a shiver down her spine as it heated the skin behind her ear.

"Yes."

"Good."

"Are you going to stay?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Good," she replied, giving in to the exhaustion once and for all.

* * *

After a few days of pressing hard, they made it to the nearest ally planet of Zaltana. The people embraced them readily, but they knew their welcome wouldn't be a permanent one has it had been in Karthe. Either way, it was enough for them to figure out their next game plan.

It was their first night on the planet that Rey, Poe, Finn, and Rose went exploring. They needed any information they could gather about the inhabitants and the Resistance outside their crew. It also served as a night away from the ship and a moment of peace and quiet.

Rose definitely needed a night out.

After spending the better part of their day on a mission, they found themselves in a local market exploding with life. There was a new musician every few steps and food carts all around. They ate what they could and soaked in the culture.

Even with some drinks in her system, Rey felt something was off. She continuously glanced over her shoulders, but nothing seemed to be there. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling of eyes watching her from a distance.

Not wanting to alert the others, she made the excuse mother nature and began darting through the crowd trying to pinpoint what was wrong. She concentrated on the Force and her link to Kylo, but all she felt was his presence at the other end. He wasn't here.

If it was something First Order related she was sure he would have notified her like he did with Karthe. That brought her to question what was happening on Kylo's end. Maybe it was the First Order but he had no idea of it?

So lost in her own thoughts and fretting over Kylo's place in his regime, Rey didn't notice the pair sneaking up behind her. She felt the scrap of cloth slide over her face coupled with strong hands to pull her backwards, but she lost to the chemical compound on the rag.

It didn't knock her out, but it did weaken her enough to be dragged off. She clawed at the Force trying to use it to help her mind clear, but her thoughts were too jumbled to even do that. The only thing she could feel was Kylo's anger burning at the back of her mind.

"Here, this will help," a voice said.

Rey heard it echo around her several times and then jumped at the cold watery sensation that passed her lips. She choked and then spit out whatever they had tried to give her.

"It will take away the fog," another voice insisted and poured some more down her throat.

This time Rey swallowed it against her will, but true to their word, it did help. Slowly everything lessoned and the moment she could grasp the Force, she had both of them in chokeholds.

"Forgive us!" one hissed.

"We only wanted to speak with you. Never to harm you!" the other added.

"You drugged me!" Rey spat, her hold on them wavering as she felt the Force weakening again.

"Please-"

"Rey!" Poe's voice cut through the music from the main street and she let her hold on them go as he wrapped his arms around him. Finn and Rose aimed their blasters at the kidnappers. "What the hell?"

"We didn't want a fight-"

"Then you shouldn't have been spying on us and attempted to kidnap me!" Rey said, breaking free from Poe's hold.

"We mean no harm." Both of their hands went up and they sank to their knees. "We only wanted to speak with you away from the others."

"Speak. Quickly," Rey demanded.

"I am… I was SR-6286 and this was SL-9584."

Finn's hand lowered immediately and Rose followed suit. "Stormtroopers?"

"Former," the speak continued. "So much as changed in the First Order and we are not the only ones to have broken away. We wish to join you, Finn. It was your betrayal to the Empire that sparked something within the ranks."

"Well, you could have gone about this differently," Rey said, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Our deepest apologies," the other said. "There are more of us on Zaltana and we wish for nothing more than to join you."

"We'll have to take it up with Leia first," Poe said.

SR-6286 inclined her head. "Let us meet at the Crown tomorrow at this time."

"Done."

"H-how many more of there are you?" Finn asked.

"Here?" SL-9584 replied. "Not many, but around the galaxy the number of us are growing. We will not be mindless drones for the First Order anymore."

 _Are you in danger?_

Rey looked around for a moment at the sound of Kylo's voice so near, but quickly realized it was in her head through their bond.

 _No._

 _I could feel your distress._

 _I'm fine, I promise._

A faint blush rose to her cheeks and she closed the link off to him when she noticed the way Poe was looking at her. "Let's go," she said. "We'll see you at the Crown tomorrow."


	12. Chapter 12

**a/n: sorry for the delay guys! I do have this one finished, I just kind of forgot about it...**

TWELVE

Nearly a week after General Hux had led his crew to Arawa, he had returned successfully. There were several battleships on the base along with smaller ones, but only a handful were viable. The ships that could be salvaged were immediately taken to a secure location and tuned up.

Now they were in the works of planning to re-invade Exedis-One. They wanted to still have a ground crew there so that it would seem more genuine. If the Resistance started attacking out of nowhere with the First Order just having left, it might seem a little strange.

Kylo still had to decide what to do about Hux. He couldn't let him live under the guise that he could do things behind his leader's back, but he couldn't get mad at him for trying to take out the Resistance either. It was something he should have given the orders to do himself.

He hadn't been able to sleep until he had heard from Rey herself that they had made it out.

With that having put him at ease, he was able to focus on First Order business. That was until the other day when she had been in distress and couldn't be ignored. He had tried to reach out, but she was blocking him. She had assured him that she was fine and then shut him out again.

He hadn't had too long to dwell on that matter though.

There was too much to attend to here, but he was glad that he could still feel her presence in the bond they shared. It was enough for him to put her to the back of his mind and focus on the tasks at hand.

As much as he didn't want Hux planning anything without his presence, he felt better knowing Novak was there. At the moment she was the only one he truly trusted. It was good to have that, but it was dangerous. He couldn't rely on her trust forever; a lifetime of letdowns had taught him that. He needed reinforcements in the First Order; people he could trust.

The First Order needed an overhaul.

He needed Rey.

He slammed his fist onto the table and sighed as a glass slipped off and shattered on the ground. He had to stop thinking that way. He wanted her with him, but he didn't need her.

What he needed was to find where the disconnect was with the stormtroopers. From the numbers Major Haas had provided, there were a staggering number of unexplained disappearances in troopers. They scanned themselves in before and after each battle, but there hadn't been that many battles to account for that many losses.

To make matters worse it seemed to be any trooper whether they be clones, those inducted as children, or those that volunteered as adults. Everyone seemed to be deserting their post. The good news was that as a majority, they just didn't want to be with the First Order, but they weren't necessarily leaving to join the Resistance.

Not yet anyway.

Kylo admired Snoke's ability to keep on top of everything, but at this time, he wasn't able. He had to delegate. If he wanted to keep working on the stormtroopers and tighten up their hold on their recruits, he had to delegate the task of finding those that could wield the Force to others.

His only option was to call in the Knights of Ren.

He knew they were loyal as can be to Snoke and he hoped that they would carry that loyalty over to him as he had been one and now was their leader. The only hesitation he had was that if Rey ever did join him, he wasn't sure they would remain loyal as he had told everyone she had killed Snoke.

To get them involved with finding others would also mean he would have to include them in their training. He wasn't sure he could train them properly nor was he sure the Knights could either.

He would have to think about it a little longer before bringing them in. For now, he wanted his attention focused on the stormtroopers and their desertion.

* * *

General Hux and Commander Novak were beaming with pride as they walked Kylo through the base with the Resistance ships. "We were able to salvage ten ships in total," Novak explained.

"Your notes say we brought back fifteen."

Their pride diminished a little. "Five are still being worked on, but it doesn't look good," Hux informed him.

Kylo glanced around at the lineup, but remained emotionless. "Let me guess, the five being worked on are the ones with all the power."

Hux swallowed nervously, but Novak was bold in her reply; something Kylo both admired, but was cautious about. "Yes. While the outlook is grim, we have our best mechanics on it. The starfighters that make up the majority of our newly acquired fleet are in prime condition."

Kylo sensed there was more to this. "But?"

"But since we lack bigger ships, General Hux and I are both in agreement that we should forgo the attack on Exedis-One for now."

"We already pulled in the troops," Kylo stated.

"And we can relaunch that attack with a larger ground crew, but for the starfighters, we have a different approach that will be far more effective."

Kylo motioned for Novak to continue, refusing to look at the smirk on Hux's face.

"We know that the Rebels made it out of Karthe and based on other intel gathered, we know they couldn't have gotten far. Their options now are slim. We know their general whereabouts in the galaxy and what to look for when it comes to supplies. We have their ships now, Supreme Leader. We will be able to pose as allies and finish them off from the inside. Or at the very least, take out their various supply ships in space. We'll be able to get close enough since we're sporting their emblem."

Kylo turned to General Hux at last. "Anything you would like to add or will Commander Novak and I continue this conversation without you?"

"What else could I add to such a perfect plan, Sir?" he asked. "I give all credit to the Commander for coming up with it."

"How long before we're able to put it in motion?"

"We have a location on a shipment to a known Resistance ally and a time frame of a week. If we are up and running within a day we can intercept or plant our undercovers. Just awaiting your orders, Sir."

This was a huge development; one that Kylo couldn't refuse to approve, but one that he couldn't afford to have compromised either.

"And what is the cover story for those that you have chosen to join the Resistance?"

Novak and Hux exchanged glances, their hope diminishing.

"If they just show up out of nowhere without a clear story for the infiltrators to repeat, they will never be trusted. As far as the Resistance knows, their remaining naval fleet is with Leia. If they appear, she will know exactly where they came from. It is a good plan, we just need more before we put it in place."

"Understood."

"We would also need to make sure those that are assigned to this completely understand their role and are loyal to the First Order."

Novak inclined her head. "What about taking out their supplies?"

"Do it, but use our ships," Kylo instructed. "General Hux, walk with me."

Novak took her leave and Kylo waited until they were out of earshot of the others. "Sir?"

"I applaud your efforts and you have done will in retrieving the ships from Arawa."

"Thank you, Sir."

"But should you go behind my back once more and give orders I did not approve, I will sever what little brain you have from your head."

Fear blazed in his eyes and he could only nod; his body shaking.

"Snoke must have seen something in you to keep you around all these years, but I still have yet to see it. You may not respect me or see me as fit for Supreme Leader, but it doesn't change the fact that I am. Do not cross me again, Hux. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Go."

Hux scurried away immediately.

Kylo gave another look over the ships before him. The plan Novak had come up with was truly innovative. She would make a great General when he decided to get rid of Hux.

Kylo had already given Rey and the others warning about the invasion of Karthe, but that was because it was a decision made behind his back. This was his chance to truly do something as Supreme Leader and he couldn't justify warning Rey of this. He had extended his offer multiple times, but she always declined.

Sure, she was warming up to the idea, but wasn't going to hold out for her to change her mind forever.

In fact, he had waited long enough.


	13. Chapter 13

**a/n: alright guys, here we go!**

THIRTEEN

After shutting Kylo out since her encounter with the former stormtroopers, she could tell he had been affronted. Later that night she had dropped her barriers to try and reach him, but he had shut her out in return. Of the next few days he felt further away than ever before, but his anger burned brighter and some of it was rubbing off on Rey, manifesting at various times in a variety of stages.

Leia had accepted that if the stormtroopers wanted to turn their back on the First Order, they were welcome to the rebellion. Rey and her three companions had met with the two that cornered her at the Crown the following night. They asked if they would accompany them back to the rest of the troopers during the day so that they could all come to the Resistance knowing they were in fact allies.

They had agreed to meet the following morning and after a grueling day of walking through a thick forested terrain, they had found themselves among the troopers. Since it had taken a better part of the day to get there, they decided to rest up and head back in the morning.

Rey was happy to see Finn bonding with the others. They were exchanging stories of battles, some of which they had in common. Rose and Poe both found themselves enjoying the company of their new allies, but Rey sat apart from them.

She couldn't deal with Kylo's outburst of anger; especially tonight. Whatever was going on where he was was not going well. She pretended to meditate and make herself unapproachable, but every time she tried to reach out to him, he shoved her aside.

Determined to keep herself from being on edge, she tried again, right there in the midst of everyone. She knew it was reckless, but at the same time, there was nothing that could give anyone away. Nor could it reveal their location.

After pressing as much as she dared without solitude, she felt their link give way and when she opened her eyes, he was standing across the way from her. She got to her feet and turned, knowing he would follow. She didn't stop until they were far enough away that she couldn't see a light from the fire or its smoke nor could she hear the bellows of laughter.

"You dare summon me? You shut me out and then demand my presence?"

"I shut you out because I couldn't multi-task at that moment. It wasn't a permanent shut out."

Rey had only ever seen him this emotional around her and that was when she had initially declined his offer. Even then, it seemed a little different. She refused to let him get to her; whatever caused his anger, she was sure it wasn't all her.

"I'm here," he declared. "What do you want?"

"For starters, I want you to drop the attitude."

"Anything else?"

"Lighten up. Your anger is driving me insane and I can't do what I need to do if you're bursting into outrage every few minutes."

"I'm not sure you understand what it takes to be a leader. There are many decisions that need to be made every day and it's up to me to make the right call."

"I'm sure it's real tough invading helpless planets in your attempt to _unify_ the galaxy."

She hadn't intended to antagonize him, but he had her fired up; in person and through the bond.

"You don't realize the full implications my warning you had on my reign, do you?"

"You didn't have to warn me. That was your choice." She scowled at him. "Something about not wanting to make us martyrs to the cause."

"I can't warn you again."

Rey stiffened. "Again? They found us?"

"No, but they will. Other plans are in the works, but I can't lead a galaxy with a Resistance I keep warning from our destruction. I can't be on both sides Rey and neither can you."

"I've chosen a side."

"Have you?"

Rey swallowed in response and let her fists ball at her sides.

"We both know that things have changed, there's no point in denying or pretending. I can't keep doing this and neither can you. I need you, Rey. We can make a difference together, but only if you take my offer and come to the First Order. We would be useless in the Resistance and you know it."

"Kylo-"

"I will not offer again and my patience waiting for an answer is wearing very thin."

"I need to see you in person." She unfurled her fists and took a step forward. "I know you need an answer, but things feel different when we meet like this versus when we meet in person. I'm not making any decisions until I see you."

"When we meet, I expect an answer, Rey."

She nodded.

"And once the answer is given, there is no going back."

She nodded again.

"Three days," he said.

An image of a meeting spot came to the forefront of her mind as well as the name of a planet.

"Three days," she repeated and watched as he disappeared from sight.

* * *

The trek back to the capitol of Zaltana had been a blur. Rey had to force herself to slow her pace and stay with the others instead of rushing ahead. When they did return, she let Poe and Finn take the lead on introducing the troopers to Leia.

Unable to sit still, she turned her attention to the Falcon and lost herself in the various repairs she had been putting off.

By the end of the night, long after she was sure everyone had retired, Leia found her wrapped in cords.

"You've been busy," she said, surveying the open panels and dangling wires around the room.

Rey detangled herself slowly. "I've been neglecting it."

Leia took a seat and motioned for Rey to do the same, but she politely declined in favor of pacing before her. "Talk to me."

"How do you always know what to do? What choices to make?" Rey asked, the words just pouring out of her. "You're always so confident."

"I wasn't always and not every single one of my decisions have panned out." She studied Rey from head to toe. "I've made plenty of mistakes, especially in the beginning. But I've also learned from them. Some of my greatest achievements were pure luck; mistakes that I had to repeat, but they had a different outcome."

She met Rey's gaze with a wise look in her eyes.

"Every time I went with my instincts and dealt with the consequences as they came."

"He warned us," Rey breathed. "About Karthe. It wasn't the Force I could feel them through, it was Kylo."

"I know."

Leia got to her feet and reached out to take Rey's hands in hers.

"You already know what you have to do, Rey. You knew before you asked me."

Rey's vision swam as tears welled up.

"Whatever you decide, you will always be welcome here. Just make sure that you're ready for the consequences and the backlash." She reached up and wiped a tear from Rey's cheek. "You're going to make mistakes, but just promise to not lose yourself."

"I won't," she promised.

"When will you leave?"

Rey pulled her hands away to wipe her face. "Tomorrow night."

"Are you going to bring Alyxnia with you?"

Rey hadn't thought of that. "No." Perhaps later, but Rey didn't even know what would happen after meeting Kylo. She might come back for the girl, but it would be a bit. If at all.

"Are you telling the others?"

Rey scoffed. "I didn't even want to tell you."

Leia smiled in return and brought her in for a hug. "I have that effect on people. Get some rest, Rey."

Rey smiled and watched her walk away. When she was alone again, she sank to the ground, her back against a closed panel. She drew her knees up and rested her chin on top of them. She felt a little better knowing that Leia was behind her choice...more or less. The hardest part was going to be saying goodbye without saying goodbye to the others.

* * *

"You've been rather moody since we met the troopers. What gives?" Poe asked during dinner.

Rey looked up as he sat down next to her. Again, she had sat away from the crowd, keeping to herself. "They drugged me."

"They gave you the antidote. They apologized."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm happy they're here and our numbers are up, but I'm still holding that grudge."

"Be that way," he teased, nudging her with his elbow. "But seriously, are you alright? You've been distant."

"I'm fine, Poe, truly." She put a hand on his arm and offered a light smile. "I just used to find solace in meditation; the Light used to calm me, but it hasn't lately. I just feel a bit...off."

"It shows."

She nudged him and laughed.

"There's probably more of them," he said, nodding towards Finn and the other troopers.

"We need to hurry if we're going to recruit them. Who knows how long until the First Order starts noticing their numbers dropping."

Poe nodded in agreement. "Between that and finding people with the Force..."

"Leave that to me. You and Finn should take the lead on the troopers."

She had said it too quickly and his eyes cast a suspicious glance her way. "You're already planning something."

"Yes and no. There's so many now and I think it would be best if we continued our own paths."

Rey faked a yawn and stretched a little. "I think I'm going to turn in early."

"Tomorrow morning, we should meet up with Leia and tell her our new plan."

Rey nodded and smiled a little. "Sure, first thing tomorrow."

She glanced towards Finn and then turned away; she was done with goodbyes for now. Poe was already guessing something was wrong, but she knew if she told Finn goodbye, he would be able to tell immediately.

Instead, Rey found herself in the Falcon again beside Chewy.

"We're going to Baltyn'a."

He asked her why, but she shook her head.

"You're just going to drop me off and then head back to Zaltana."

She shook her head and fired up the controls.

"Please, don't argue. We have to go."

He made a rude comment that she ignored and in the next instant, they were up in the air, flying off into hyperspace.


	14. Chapter 14

**a/n: At long last, the union you've been waiting for**

FOURTEEN

Taking the Silencer was out of the question. He wanted to remain undetected when he landed on Baltyn'a; not draw a crowd. It was going to be easier than he thought to break away as everyone that would notice was busy doing something else. He just wanted to tie up some loose ends before taking off.

"Have you found another member of the Force?" Haas asked as he entered the Hangar bay.

He had asked the Captain for their most non-descript craft. "Yes."

"We have this one," he said, pointing down the way to a small, two-seater cruiser that they used during scouting missions. "Are you sure you don't want an envoy?"

"This will work," he said and turned his attention to the Captain. "We have to discuss your troopers."

"Yes, Sir," he said and followed Kylo to a private spot.

"Troopers have been found deserting their posts. Some have even been found amongst the Resistance around the galaxy."

Haas' eyes went wide. "I haven't noticed anything."

"Which means you aren't paying attention. Captain Phasma would have never let her ranks diminish in this way."

Haas nodded. His helmet may have hid his face, but Kylo could feel his nerves going haywire. "I will look into the matter."

"Do whatever you need to do, but see that it stops. Until then, no, I will not be taking troopers with me."

"Yes, Sir."

Kylo made his way towards the cruiser. He had picked a planet that was far away from any First Order business, but a short enough distance where it wouldn't take more than a day for travel. He wanted to make sure he was there before her to make arrangements. He didn't want reports of their meeting to reach anyone.

He still wasn't certain how he was going to explain her appearance within the First Order or their sudden alliance, but being Supreme Leader meant he didn't owe anyone an explanation.

He had chosen Baltyn'a for its discretion. It was a little on the seedier side than he would have liked to bring Rey too, but anywhere else would have been risky. He had spent some time here in his adolescence in between his running from Luke to Snoke.

Either way, this had to go well.

He couldn't handle her rejection again.

* * *

Rey stared at the entrance to the cantina and grimaced. This was definitely the right place; it matched the image Kylo had provided her perfectly. She swallowed around a tight throat and watched as shady characters of all kinds went in and out of the hole in the wall where a door should be.

She tightened her hold on her bag at her side.

This entire street was bristling with activity; legal or not. Everyone seemed to know their role and had familiarity with the area and Rey felt completely out of place and it showed.

Taking a deep breath, she went inside.

She had to blink for her eyes to adjust to the dimly lit interior that was only darkened by a cloud of smoke that clung to the ceiling like fog. Only a few heads turned her way; everyone seemed to mind their own business. It allowed Rey to relax a small amount.

She made her way to the bar in the middle of the room and got the attention of the man behind it. "Excuse me, I'm looking for someone. I-"

"Aren't we all, sweetheart."

His voice was deeper than she expected, but his tone was mocking.

He slid a glass her way full of dark red liquid. "On the house."

She picked it up tentatively and made her way towards an open table as close to the back as she could. She downed the drink on the way, surprised at how smooth and sweet it was. She had expected it to be bitter and thick.

Secured in her spot, she let herself reach out for Kylo, but she already knew he wasn't there.

At least not yet.

Rey continued to look around the room, but tried her best to keep it from being obvious. She fidgeted with the glass, trying to keep her nerves calm. The contents she had downed were helping considerably.

Then it changed.

She felt him.

He was somewhere in the room, but she couldn't tell through the low visibility and the crowd. The more she searched, the more she couldn't see.

Just as she contemplated getting up and leaving to find him, a hand reached hers and pulled her to her feet. As the fingers laced with hers, she knew it was Kylo and followed him as he effortlessly navigated the crowd. He continued to lead them through the streets and down various alleys with ease, only stopping when they had reached an inn far away from the commotion.

He still didn't say anything as he opened the door for her and led her through a maze-like interior of stairs before stopping at a door. He unlocked it, motioned her inside, and then locked it again behind him.

He removed the hood and scarf from around his face and set them on the floor by his feet and she set her bag down by hers.

The moment they made eye contact, Rey found herself moving forward, not stopping until they were wrapped in each other's arms.

His lips crashed down on hers with a fevered intensity. One that she matched in full. She let her hands cup his face and slide back until they were tangled in his hair. His hands landed on her hips and gripped hard enough to leave bruises behind.

A moan erupted from her lips as his slid down the side of her neck, nipping at her flesh ever so lightly. She shuddered at the warmth of his breath on her skin.

He felt himself harden immensely at her reaction. Not only was she aroused on a physical level, but their feelings were intensified in the bond they shared.

Every touch, every breath, every thought merged as if coming from a single unit; one indistinguishable from the other.

He moved his hands from her hips to the belt at her waist. It fell to the floor with a loud crash and Rey's sharp intake of breath brought his attention back to her lips. Her readiness to meet his passion only egging him on.

It wasn't until he felt the fabric of her top give way that he slowed things down. She had finally come to him on her own free will. There was no need to rush.

He pulled his lips from hers and rested his forehead against hers, both of them taking the moment to catch their breath.

Kylo let his fingertips graze her body as they slid beneath the fabric until it was pooled around her on the floor. With her top exposed, she shivered. He felt her withdraw a little as her subconsciousness kicked in, but he cupped her face and pressed his lips against hers gently.

She relaxed and shivered again as his fingers slithered down, running over all the curves of her body. Kylo savored the moment as he traced every outline of her muscles. He knew she was small, but he hadn't expected her to be like this.

It made it easier to believe he wouldn't break her.

Rey buried her face in the crook of his neck, her lips grazing over his skin as he cupped her breasts, his thumbs ghosting over the taunt peaks of her nipples.

He felt her breath quicken, the bursts of heat making him shudder. His hands wandered lower, enjoying the curves of her hips and the definition of her stomach.

Kylo's fingers sunk into the waistband of her bottoms and pushed. It didn't take much for them to fall to the floor. Rey stood absolutely still as his palm slid over the part of her she craved his touch the most.

With a shudder, she made a move and Kylo let her take the reins for a moment as she drew him in for a smoldering kiss. Their tongues dueled and danced, but neither trying to assert dominance.

She mimicked his earlier movements of removing his shirt, letting it fall to the floor the moment it was over his head. She traced his broad shoulders and let her fingers wander over every one of his muscles before sinking lower.

He felt her mustering a bit of bravery through their bond and sent a wave of want and desire her way as encouragement. He wanted nothing more than to feel her. His ability to hold back was wearing thin.

Kylo hissed as he felt her slender fingers dip behind his layers and wrap around the hardened length of him. It was all he could do to not lose himself then and there.

Rey gave a gasp of surprise as he moved them in a whirlwind of motions.

She found herself lying on the bed with Kylo hovering above her, his body cradled to hers between her thighs. She could feel him, their bodies so close to being fully joined it made her ache for him.

He leaned in and kissed her. She reached up and placed her hands on his shoulder blades. A deep, breathy moan slipped from her mouth as his hand reached between her lower lips and parted them.

A moment later she arched her body as he sank deep into her wet heat.

Something akin to a growl emanated from deep within as he tried not to lose himself then and there. To feel her around him in every sense left him with a need to claim her; mark her in some way.

Her nails dug into his back as he set an easy pace of strokes, making sure not to hurt her. She locked her legs around his waist and met him with each stroke.

She could feel herself coming undone; both body and mind. She wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and give into the moment, but she couldn't break her gaze from Kylo's. The intensity from seeing either other getting closer to the edge and feeling their mutual bliss through their bond was unlike anything else.

"Kylo…"

His name on her lips in that breathy manner combined with everything else sent them both into heights they would have otherwise never discovered.

When they both had somewhat returned to reality, they moved so that they were facing one another. For now, they were left wondering what this meant for them and knew they had much to discuss.


	15. Chapter 15

FIFTEEN

Sleep was out of the question for both of them. It wasn't uncomfortable to be in each other's presence in this state of undress, but neither of them knew what to do. Their connection had been intense and welcoming, but in the aftermath...

They had so much to learn about one another still.

They were lying on their sides, facing each other, the covers pulled up to their shoulders. They weren't touching, but their proximity entitled them to feel the heat from one another.

"What now?" she asked, her voice a bit rough.

"That depends on you. Have you decided to take me up on my offer?"

Rey hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. "You said you wanted me with you to re-create the First Order. I don't know what that entails, but if we have a chance to make it better, I would be a fool not to try."

"And the Resistance?"

"I'm not here to spy on them, if that's what you're asking. They took me in when I had no one else and I have no interest in betraying them either."

"I would never ask you to."

She nodded again. "I think we should lay some ground rules. I'm not just giving myself to you, Kylo. I'm not going to be a pawn for you to use."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Is that what you think of me?"

She saw the flash of hurt in his dark eyes and felt a twinge of guilt. "No," she said softly.

He reached out and cupped her face. She closed her eyes at his touch and turned her cheek into his palm. "I would never do that to you," he promised.

"Aside from that time you tried to use the Force to extract information from me."

"I promise to never do it again."

Rey couldn't help the smile at that and found that his smile in return brought a flush of heat to her cheeks. She placed her hand over his and closed her eyes. "I've never done this before," she admitted, her blush deepening.

"Neither have I."

Her eyes opened at that and when she met his gaze, a thought occurred. They were more similar that she initially thought. She had never sought human contact in this way as a way to keep herself protected from harm and he had never had someone care about him on this level. Both of them had been so damaged that only someone of equal faults could get close.

She decided to leave that alone for now and changed the subject. "I was serious about ground rules."

"What did you have in mind?" he asked, moving his hand back to her hair, taking a few strands and twisting them between his fingers.

"In the spirit of not trying to change one another, I won't ask you to stop going after the Resistance, but I will ask that you keep all of your plans from me. I told you I'm not here to spy on you for them, but the more you tell me, the more I'll want to."

"Anything else?"

"We need to decide how we're going to go after the other people that can wield the Force and once we have them, how we're going to teach them. I want to learn and you were right about my lack of knowledge, but I don't want them to be trained Dark."

"They'll have the ability to choose their own path. I will teach you what I know and it will be up to you to remain Light. Just as it will be up to them to decide when they're ready."

"And what happens when we train them? They fight for the First Order?"

Kylo hadn't thought that far ahead. "By the time we have enough people trained, the First Order won't be what it is now."

"And what will it be?"

He reached for her hands and thread his fingers through hers. "We'll figure that out together."

Rey accepted that for now. Everything was new and she didn't expect everything to be thought out perfectly. He was willing to change the First Order and that was enough.

"For the immediate future, what comes next?"

"We go back to the Supremacy."

"And I walk in as what? Your prisoner?"

"No."

"I highly doubt that they're going to just let me in. They're under the assumption that I killed their former leader, remember?"

Kylo gave a small smirk. "I don't have to tell them anything."

"I'm glad you think that, but it's not true. They're either going to lose their faith in you or just turn on you all together. There's no way they're just going to welcome me popping up out of the blue and I'm not willing to pretend I changed sides for this," she said, gesturing between them.

She rolled onto her back in frustration and stared at the ceiling.

"Let them think what they will, Rey. I will never make you look weak to them." He moved so that he was hovering over her, skin gliding over skin. He brushed the hair off of her face and let his lips linger on her forehead for a moment. "You came to me of your own free will. As long as you remember that, everything else will fall into place."

Rey lost all ability to respond as his lips found hers.

She placed a hand on his bicep and groaned softly as his other hand slid down her body. He found her core and slipped a finger between her lips again. Her hips arched as that finger slipped inside her body, his thump grazing over the most sensitive part of her.

Her grip on his bicep tightened and he used her moan to deep the kiss, his tongue plunging in in rhythm with his finger.

Rey felt her body react in ways she couldn't even imagine. Her head tilted back and his lips sought the sensitive skin of her throat.

He added another finger and she squirmed beneath him. They both knew it wouldn't be long. She could feel that familiar pressure building in her mind and her thoughts scattered.

Just as she thought the world would shatter, she felt him withdraw.

She didn't have time to dwell on it or pout as he shifted their positions.

He sat with his back against the wall at the head of the bed and pulled her body over his. In one swift motion, she had her knees on either side of his hips and he was sliding into her with ease. His teasing ministrations had left her slick; allowing him to sink into her as deep as her body would allow.

Her head tipped back for an instant and his mouth found the hard peak of her breast, bringing a whole new level of pleasure to her. Rey looked down, their eyes locking as they had the last time.

She placed on of her hands on his shoulder to help her rise up and down in a perfect rhythm while the other cupped his neck. He placed his hands firmly on her hips to guide her as she moved up and down.

She bit her bottom lip as she felt her release building momentum again. He could feel his own pleasure rising and knew he wouldn't be far behind her.

She lowered her face until their foreheads were touching. "Rey," he breathed, his voice tight.

"Kylo," she returned in kind; sending them both over the edge.

Her body continued to move until the last of their tremors of pleasure had subsided. When it had, she smiled at him and laid her lips over his lightly.

Whatever this was, it was more than the bond, more than the physical connection. Kylo was ready to explore it and he could feel that she was too.

 _Balance_.

They had found it.


	16. Chapter 16

**a/n: Hux, while fun to write, couldn't get by continuing as he was. Besides, it fits more with what I have planned for the set up of the endgame. :)**

SIXTEEN

Knowing that meeting Kylo would lead her here was one thing, but to see them approaching the Supremacy was another. Last time she had been in and out of the ship, but this time her intention was to stay and it was terrifying.

She tightened her hold on her bag and watched as the giant star killer became closer and closer, Rey began to rethink her choices.

Kylo reached out and laid his hand over hers. He didn't need to say anything and the moment he made contact, Rey let out a deep breath and relaxed a little. She tilted her head up and laced her fingers with hers.

Rey forced her doubts to the back of her mind as they slid through the shields and landed smoothly inside the hangar bay. They exited the craft and at first, the stormtroopers around paid their respects towards Kylo, but as more and more of them noticed Rey, they raised their blasters tentatively.

Kylo reached out with the Force and brought their guns down. "You will never raise your weapons to her," he ordered.

He moved forward and Rey followed, close at his heels. Everywhere they turned, stormtroopers hesitated as they passed. He led her through a maze of hallways and by the time they reached the control room and the bridge, Rey was just wishing he had brought her straight to her quarters and left her there.

Her strides halted briefly as she thought about her potential quarters. Would she share with Kylo? Would it be expected of her? Or would she get her own room for privacy?

She shook her head to clear her mind and tightened her grip on the strap of her back around her. They could discuss that later. Right now she had to focus on all of her enemies in one room right before her as Kylo told them they were allies now.

At first no one was truly paying attention to her, not with Kylo marching through before her, but it didn't take long for everyone to pick up on the fact that she was here.

"Seize her!"

The command came from a frightened voice on the bridge and Rey gave in to the hands that gripped her. The troopers were just following orders and she knew Kylo was going to take care of it.

Despite her mantra to stay calm, she was still harboring a small fear that their plan would fall apart and she would be trying to fighter her way out of here.

"You dare show your face here?" the same voice said, although it was closer.

Soon a man stood before her and he was seething. She stared at him, showing him that she didn't fear him. Which only seemed to further infuriate him.

Her eyes flickered past him to Kylo who was simply watching with a spark of amusement in his eyes. However, that quickly diminished as the newcomer raised his hand with intention to strike.

Rey reached out with the Force and held his hand in place, using enough pressure to hear his ligaments displace. At the same time, Rey felt Kylo reach out as well and the man went to his knees, choking on air.

"Release her," Kylo demanded and all restraint on Rey ceased.

She relinquished her hold on his hand and Kylo released his on his airways. The man spun on Kylo. "What is the meaning of this?" he rasped.

"It appears the Jedi has switched sides." A woman stepped forward, staring at Rey with wonder.

"My name is Rey." She wanted desperately to say that she didn't switch sides, but that was a bit contradictory at the moment.

"There are going to be some changes," Kylo announced to the room. "And anyone who wishes to challenge those will be dealt with accordingly." He stretched a hand in invitation to Rey and she stepped forward to take it. "Rey has come to us on her own free will. She will be my second in command. Anything you have to say to me can also be said to her. If anyone so much as thinks about harming her will face consequences."

All background noise had stopped and Rey was left with a mixture of dread and pride. She really wanted away from the attention; she never liked being in the center of it all.

"The first change I'll be making is General Novak."

The woman who had spoken to Rey looked completely surprised. "I would be honored to work as equals with General Hux, Sir."

"You are superior to General Hux," he replied and brought Hux forward with the Force. "You have been nothing but a nuisance. I do not know what Snoke ever saw in you, but I have no use for someone who would give orders without my authority."

"The Resistance is our enemy!" he spat. "Or at least they were!"

"It's not the target that brings me to this, Hux. It's the behavior and your entitlement."

"They're my army! They-"

His words were abruptly ended as his body made a sickening snap and then slid lifelessly to the ground.

Rey stared at Kylo with horror, but he ignored her as he addressed the masses. "Anyone else feel a need to express their distaste?"

No one said a word.

"General Novak, we will meet tomorrow to discuss updates," he said and then reached for Rey's hand.

"Yes, Sir."

Rey followed him in a daze; her entire body numb.

When they came to a stop in what she knew to be his quarters, she pulled her hand from his and stepped back.

"That is not what I signed up for."

"He had it coming."

"That's not the point!" she hissed.

Kylo tilted his head. "Snoke kept him around because Hux feared him greatly. But amidst that fear was respect. He has no respect for me. That is a very dangerous thing. If I had let him live, he would have only gotten worse. He would have betrayed me."

Rey was too in shock to respond.

"I didn't ask you to do it, did I?"

"No."

"I've killed people before, Rey and so have you. This is how I choose to run my operation. It was one life in the best interest of the galaxy. Do you trust me?"

On some level she must have or she wouldn't have come here.

"Yes."

"I will do things you do not approve of," he warned her. "Just as you will. You need to find a way to deal with that or this is never going to work."

Rey nodded. "No innocents."

"You do realize we're in the midst of a war."

"You know what I meant."

He shrugged and turned, opening his arms in welcoming. "I know we didn't discuss this, but you're more than welcome to share my quarters, but I didn't want to be presumptuous. I could always find something suitable for you should you desire."

"If you're alright with sharing..."

Something akin to a smile graced his lips and it brought one to her own. "I will secure you a room for your privacy when you need it."

"Thank you."

He held his hand out in offer to take her bag and Rey hesitated for a moment before handing it over. "You didn't bring much."

"I don't have much."

"What you do have is quite heavy," he remarked as he set it down on a chair.

"I have the lightsaber we broke and some books," she said as she moved to sit on the edge of the bed.

"May I look?"

She gave a slight nod.

Kylo opened her bag and took out one of the ancient Jedi texts. He held it in his hands as if it were made of glass and turned to her, wide eyed. "Do you know what this is?"

"Yes."

"Where did you get this?" he asked, leafing through the pages ever-so-gently.

"Ahch'to. I took them before I left. Before I came to you." She tilted her head. "Can you read them?"

"Not well," he admitted. "Luke wasn't all that well versed in the Jedi language so what he did teach us was rudimentary at best."

"There's got to be a way to translate them." Rey mulled it over. "Maybe the Force itself?"

She broke into a grin as Kylo's head shot up, a strange expression on his face. "We can worry about that later. We'll have a full day ahead of us tomorrow. I need to show you around, get you acquainted with those you can trust and point out those that you cannot."

Just the mere mention of the next day elicited a large yawn from Rey. Simply sitting down had brought attention to the fact that she hadn't slept at all since meeting up with him; they had been distracted.

"I have a feeling the trust list is going to be rather short."

He inclined his head.

Her head tilted to the side and she slid off the bed despite the way her body protested. "Did you ever think that I'd be here?" she asked, stopping a few inches from him.

"Based on the number of times you rejected me?" he questioned. "No." He reached out and cupped her face gently. "But here you are."

"Here I am," she breathed.

She closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms around his waist. His went around her shoulders and his chin rested on her head. She took a deep breath and took solace in the safety of his arms; something she never thought would occur.

A slight smile graced her lips and she relaxed even further.

Kylo felt her give in to the exhaustion he knew was calling to her. He let go of her for a split moment to pick her up. She placed her head in the hollow of his throat and wrapped her arms about his neck. He carried her to the bed and laid her down on his bed.

He placed a gently kiss to her forehead and took note of the smile on her lips as her breathing fell into the even rhythm of true sleep. He took a moment to let everything sink in and marvel at the woman before him. He ran his fingers through her hair and traced the edges of her face.

He could feel the Light emanating off of her and for the first time he found himself questioning his Dark.

For the first time, someone believed in him.

Rey saw past the Dark and saw him.

Not Kylo Ren, no.

She saw Ben Solo.

He pulled back and pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind.

Kylo pulled the covers over Rey, now deep in sleep, and turned his attention to the Jedi texts she had brought with her. Anything to distract himself from his inner conflict.


	17. Chapter 17

**a/n: I thought about doing an in-depth time with her adjustment, but every time I did it, it was boring. So instead of losing interest, I just skipped ahead a tiny bit and I'm really excited for what comes next.**

SEVENTEEN

At first, Rey had felt completely overwhelmed with the amount of things happening in the ship. She knew the First Order was large, but to truly be a part of it and get to see the ins and outs only showed how massive it truly was. It was no wonder the Resistance had dwindled over the years.

She couldn't attest to how things were with Hux being here, but she could see how things were running without him. Novak seemed to have a great handle on things and much to Rey's dislike, she was efficient, fast, and smart. She had told Kylo that she didn't share the trust he felt towards her and when he mentioned that it was jealousy, Rey was adamant he was wrong.

As far as Kylo, he seemed a bit more relaxed that before. Even his presence through the bond and in person, he was more at ease and confident. Once the initial strangeness of being with the First Order wore off, Rey felt that confidence take over her as well.

He had kept to his promise about keeping her away from all things related to the Resistance and as time went by, he spent less and less time in meetings and more time with Rey. They spent most of their time trying to decipher the Jedi texts or find someone who could as well as training. Sometimes Praxton sat in with them, but most of the time it was the two of them.

He had even taken the time to show her how to repair the saber they broke after he killed Snoke. It had taken some work since the kyber crystal had been split, but they had been able to customize the weapon to her liking.

All-in-all, her experience here hadn't been as dreadful as she thought it would have been. Granted, she wasn't a prisoner. For the most part, everyone left her alone. Some even went out of her way to avoid her and she was fine with that.

"Is the dish not to your liking?"

Kylo's voice pulled her back from her thoughts and she looked up from where she was absent mindedly pushing her food around her plate with her utensils.

"Last I checked, it was your favorite."

"It is."

"Yet you're not eating."

She put her fork down and leaned back in her chair. "Not really hungry."

"Tell me what's on that mind of yours. And don't say you're fine. I can tell on many levels that you are not."

She sighed. She couldn't keep anything from him. She thought about the thousands of things swirling in her head. "I'm bored."

A light smile graced his lips and he sat back to stare at her. "I applaud you for lasting this long."

"I know you're doing what I asked and not involving me in your reign, but all we do is stay on this planet sized craft. Sure, we spar on occasion and we try to decipher theses texts, but I am bored and going stir-crazy."

"It's necessary for-"

"It's been near two months since I came here and you still haven't really shared with me what your plans for this new galaxy of yours looks like. We still haven't sought after any others like us. Nothing's really changed except Hux."

He stared at her, that smirk plastered on his face. "I would have thought that someone who was unsure of how each and every day was going to go would be thankful for some sort of stability."

"I thought I would be too. I guess it's not the same going from having someone constantly chase you down, trying to off your friends, to living with said villain."

Her attempt to keep a straight face dissolved immediately.

"I could always go after them if you'd like me to change it up a bit."

"No." She shook her head at him. "Not that bored."

"Have you not accompanied me on a few diplomatic meetings with planets were previously invaded?"

"Yes."

"And did you not tell me that you were impressed at the way things were going? That the people didn't seem as oppressed as you once thought?"

"The rich never seem oppressed," she remarked. "I want to see how you handle a planet like Jakku. Where a small portion of inhabitants control everything. The First Order promises that no one is subjected to that, but all your efforts have gone to war and not that."

"You sure you don't to be part of the Senate?"

Rey snorted.

"I wish that was the portion you changed. The only real representation is again, from those of wealth. The Senate does nothing."

"I could always get rid of it in favor of dictatorship."

"And maybe the Jedi should be the authority for once."

"Maybe they should."

They stared at each other for a moment before Rey looked away.

"I don't want to discuss politics. I just thought progress and change would be more prominent."

"Nothing changes that drastically overnight, Rey. I could pull a power move, but I would only get so far. Things are changing; I know you see that. Things will take time. We must be patient. We're already come so far since your arrival. Let's not get greedy."

"And what happens when you die?"

"Is that a threat?" he teased.

"I'm serious, Kylo. All this effort and all this change...it's very unlike the First Order. It's great now, but what happens when you're no longer capable of leading and the person that takes over for you undoes it all in favor of greed?"

"That's true of any shift of power, Rey. I can't help that. Look at what happened to Snoke. I bet he didn't think that his successor would be merciful on occasion."

"But-"

"Rey, please. We're making progress. Don't ignore that."

She sighed again. "I know, I just wish things could speed up a little." She perked up as a thought occurred. "Have you thought about liberating a planet? You know, instead of just invading one?"

"Like Jakku?"

"To start."

He stared at her and then realized she wasn't joking.

"Because progress and change doesn't mean anything if the little planets go unnoticed."

"Seeking vengeance is a Dark trait," he jested.

She rolled her eyes and got up from the table. "Doesn't have to be Jakku," she muttered and turned to walk away.

He grabbed her wrist as she passed and kept her from completely walking away. "It's not a bad plan," he stated.

"But?"

"It's all about the timing. I'll add it to the list."

"That's all I ask," she said and went into the bathroom once he released his hold on her wrist.

* * *

The moment the cruiser dropped out of hyperspace Rey finally had some idea of where they were headed. Even as she glanced at Kylo he still wasn't giving any hints. She had woken to Kylo standing at the side of the bed with two very large bags packed. He had told her that what she said about her boredom had not fallen on deaf ears and had just the plan to fix it.

Then he had shuffled her to the hangar, loaded them into a small cruiser, and were jetting off into hyperspace. And the only piece of information he would give her was that it was a surprise.

"We're in the Outer Rim."

"How very observant of you."

She rolled her eyes. "We're almost there, can you just tell me where we're going?"

"Gren'ma," he replied.

She scrunched up her face trying to recall the planet. "There's nothing there."

"Exactly."

"You lost me."

"A bit of nothing is what we need," he informed her. "There are big things happening and I need you to get your restlessness at bay so you don't do something brash."

"Of the two of us, you do not get to lecture me on being impulsive," she said, nudging him with her elbow. She wasn't going to comment on the plans he referenced as it might be about the Resistance. She had made good on her promise to not be there as a spy.

Rey was happy for the momentary getaway. It was a chance to see Kylo in a new way. She had already seen a change in him just by being there. He was caring and sweet to her in their privacy, but they were both cautious when around other people. Neither one of them had any reason to hide anything, yet they did.

Rey noticed how they were in public versus in private and wanted things to change. The problem was Kylo. He was playing a role at the head of the First Order. It wasn't something he was meant to do. Not being truthful to himself meant a slight distance between them.

In the long run, as long as they continued to strengthen their relationship in private, Rey could hold out as long as they needed to. She didn't need to express her feelings for Kylo in front of anyone other than him.

To be finally alone and not for the first time would be a true test to them both and Rey was eager to find out more about him.

"How long are we staying here?" she asked.

"I packed for a week."

Rey had been expecting a few days; not a week.

"You sure you can make it that long?" she teased.

"I'm sure we can find ways to entertain ourselves," he quipped and Rey immediately flushed at what he implied.

She cleared her throat and watched as his planet of choice loomed in further. "I suppose we could."


	18. Chapter 18

**a/n: It was while I was writing this chapter that I got the best idea for what's to come. You'll get more insight in the next installment, but until then, enjoy this cliffhanger!**

EIGHTEEN

Paradise was great, but as the two of them quickly learned, it wasn't for them; at least not for a whole week. After a few days they found themselves moving to a new planet; Taraa'oh. Kylo picked it because it would be a safe location for him to roam around without much recognition and the First Order presence wasn't as strong.

But if he was being honest, it was her desire to be in public with him that made him eager to show her around.

She had gone from sand to a life of hiding to being in space. She had never truly seen a city other than to foil First Order plans. When Kylo had heard her desire to really get to explore one, he wanted to show her around.

They had arrived late at night, but they still had no trouble finding a room. Kylo spared no expense in showering her with luxury; something he knew she never had before. They had slept that night and it wasn't until the next day that Kylo planned to tote her around the city in style.

Rey stood on the small balcony as Kylo finished ordering their room service before they went out into the city. The sight was nothing like she had imagined it to be. She always assumed the hustle and bustle cities would be too harsh, but from here, it was the perfect ambiance.

The corners of her lips lifted as Kylo's arms wound around her waist, his body molding perfectly to hers.

"This is too much."

"You'll get used to it."

"I'm not one for this lavish lifestyle."

"Neither am I," he assured her. "But sometimes it feels good to indulge. Just enjoy it, Rey. You deserve it."

"We deserve it," she replied, leaning her head back on his shoulder. "What did you order?"

"Entirely too much."

Rey turned around so her back was to the city. Kylo closed the gap and raised a hand to cup one side of her face. He leaned in and placed his lips over hers. She relaxed into him and placed her hands on his hips.

His lips slid from hers and trailed down her neck, eliciting a soft moan from her.

A thought crossed her mind and she gave him no time to react as she gave a small push with the Force to reverse their positions. He raised a brow at her intentions, the slightest of smirks on his lips.

She smiled back up at him, her hands going to undo his pants, pushing them down enough to expose him. His eyes widened in surprise a moment before they turned to a look of daring.

With a bit of mischief in her eyes, she lowered herself until she was on her knees before him. She let her dominate hand glide over the softness of his member, fascinated with the way he grew long and hard in a matter of moments.

She licked her lips and moved forward, relishing in Kylo's hiss the moment her lips surrounded him. She let the velvety skin slide over her tongue.

She took her time in using her hands around his base and her tongue around the tip, alternating everything here and there. There was a moment where she opened her eyes and she saw his grip wavering on the banister; a look of sheer pleasure on his face.

She felt her watching him and opened his eyes. When he did, he was rewarded with her taking him into her mouth as far as she could. The sight was enough to bring him to the edge.

"Rey-" his voice was strangled and all thoughts of moving her to the bed to ravish her was lost as her tongue flicked against the underside of his head.

"I'm-"

She knew he was going to let loose soon and she was ready for it. He felt her determination in the air around them as well as through their bond and it was all it took.

After another visual of her on her knees before him with his cock buried in her mouth, Kylo came undone. His seed spurted down her throat, but it didn't deter her. Instead, she welcomed it, and kept going until he had nothing left to give. Only then did she withdraw and stand up.

Not bothered in the slightest, he kissed her soundly and then redressed. They resumed their first position on the balcony with him behind her; her view of the city unobstructed. She smiled and relaxed against him.

This is exactly where she wanted to be.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon by the time they left the hotel and ventured out into the city streets. Rey was captivated by the amount of goings-on around her. There were street vendors everywhere selling just about anything. Food, flowers, obscure objects; even weapons were out on display for all to buy.

They visited various shops, but Rey never asked Kylo to buy her anything. He let her think that they would just look, but he was taking a mental note of everything she lingered at.

As the twin suns fell beneath the horizon, Kylo brought up dinner. Rey refused the upscale restaurant he proposed in favor of sampling the vendors on the street.

"Life was so much simpler before I got sucked into all of this."

"I wouldn't know."

Rey looked at him with a bit of pity in her eyes, but quickly looked away. "You do know Luke was in the wrong, don't you?"

Kylo stiffened. "I really don't want to talk about him."

"But you need to. You need to let it go sometime."

"Rey-"

"He was, though. Wrong, I mean," she continued, scooting closer to him on their bench. "You were barely a teenager and no matter what he saw, he should have tried to fix it by teaching you to be better. Not by trying to kill you."

He clenched his jaw. "But he did. Some Jedi legend he was."

"The Force showed me the night he tried to kill you," she pressed. She took his hand in hers. "It was wrong."

"And what was the point of bringing up that lovely time of my past?"

"This past week." She shook her head. "Since we first met. So much has changed and I've seen the way you are with me and the way you are with the First Order... Everything could have been so different."

"It wasn't just Lue that feared me. It was Han and Leia too."

"They didn't understand you and they can be blamed for that too, but Leia-"

He withdrew from her touch. "I know you mean well, but I do not want to discuss her with you. Just because you never had parents-"

Rey recoiled.

Kylo flinched at his own words and takes in a sharp breath. "Talking about family is a trigger, Rey. It's not something you can fix; it's not something I even want to fix. What's done is done." He reached for her hands and let his emotions flow through the bond so she could feel the truth of his next declaration. "But you see past all of that."

She nodded. "I didn't mean to prod, I just-"

His lips brushed over hers to quell her thoughts, pulling her closer in the meantime. He pulled back so that their foreheads were touching. "Rey, I-"

Whatever he had been about to say was lost to the noise of the explosion behind them.


	19. Chapter 19

**a/n: I really, really love what I have planned going forward! For those of you that are familiar with my writing, did you really think I was going to have them together and boom, happy ending? To those that are new to me, happy is not something I do. No, this is not the end, but this is the turning point for both of them. Until next time! Also...I've only ever seen the movies, nothing else in the Star Wars realm so I had to do some research on parts of this. All shall be explained.**

NINETEEN

They were far away enough from the blast zone that when they were flung off of their feet in the aftershocks, they weren't severely hurt. Rey cried out as she landed against the rough exterior of a building, but was relieved to find that aside from the wind being knocked out of her, she was fine.

She took a moment to gather her wits before forcing herself onto her feet. She reached out for Kylo and locked onto his presence. He was close and after a moment of thinking she had lost him, she spotted him through the rising chaos.

His arms locked fiercely around her as he pulled her through the screaming body of people as they ran away from the blast zone. She found her saber at her side and noticed that he had his ready to ignite in his free hand; his other clutching hers possessively as they zig-zagged through the streets.

They continued to run, but the further they got from the blast, the closer they came to the combat. Rey yanked her hand from Kylo's in order to shove him away from a plasma beam from a blaster.

In doing so, the crowd around them was too much and she got swept up in the current.

Just get safe. I'll find you.

She hoped her message to Kylo was clear enough as she dodged another stray beam. As she ducked behind a knocked over vender cart, another small blast went off, this one in the direction of which everyone was escaping to.

She jumped as a trooper's body fell to the ground beside her, blaster facing her. She wasted no time in reaching it with her free hand, never losing grip on her saber. The moment she pulled it to her, she heard footsteps and stood up, aiming.

"Rey?"

"Poe?"

The momentary surprise took her off guard, but she was able to snap out of it long enough to aim at the trooper behind Poe who was about to pull the trigger on his blaster.

She was quicker.

Poe reached for her and dragged her into the nearest building. "What are you doing here?" he asked, pulling her in for a tight embrace.

"What are you doing here?" she countered. Now was not a great time to tell him what she had been up to.

"We got word of potential allies who were looking for a trade. Not long after we met up, the bomb went off. Troopers came out of everywhere and we had to split up."

Rey was saved from having to respond as a small group stopped outside their hideout. "The Resistance?"

"It was their men. They-"

They moved on, but Poe and Rey exchanged a glance.

"They think we did this," Poe whispered. "We need to go."

"Poe, wait!"

He was on the move and she sighed before following him. She could follow him and still make sure she found Kylo at some point.

They ran, firing off and on at stormtroopers whenever they popped up. Rey regretted her choice of attire; not thinking that her night would have turned out quite like this. The only thing she was grateful for was that it wasn't the dress he had wanted her to wear. When she changed their plans last minute from his fancy dinner to their wandering the streets, she opted for something a bit more casual.

She could just imagine running and fighting in a dress and she knew, Force or not, she would not have lasted long.

Somehow they found a small group of the stormtroopers turned Rebels. "They are saying it was the Resistance that did this," one reported to Poe.

"We didn't."

"Kylo Ren is on the ground."

"It wasn't him."

Poe tilted his head in her direction. "And you know that for certain?"

She met his questioning gaze evenly and nodded. "Yes. I can assure you, of all the things Kylo Ren has done today, plant a bomb was not one of them." She shuddered as memories of what he had done earlier came floating to the surface for a moment.

"Watch out!"

They all jumped out of the way except for Rey. She stood her ground and reached out to the Force. She lifted it from the earth beneath her and into the air, surrounding them with it. The stormtroopers blasts bounced off of it; some of them taking down those that fired upon them.

She found it odd that they were firing at her. Even if she was amidst the Resistance, she was still second in command to the Supreme Leader.

"REY!"

She turned her gaze towards Poe and the others who had moved out of the blasters' range. He beckoned her forward and she went, leaving the Force up and shielding her.

She cried out as something sharp penetrated her skin. She fell forward, a hand to her neck to pull out the dart. Her vision swam and she saw Poe spring forward in slow motion in attempt to get her, but whether he got to her or not she never knew.

* * *

Kylo felt it.

Rey's presence in the Force went from strong as she called it to her for defense to all but gone. It went out in the blink of an eye. She was there, but it was faint.

He panicked at the thought of what that could mean.

He lashed out with everything he had at the troopers around him. His first encounter with them he had tried to order them to stand down, but they ignored him and one's blaster had taken him by surprise, lacerating his strong arm.

With that, he had tore through every trooper he had come across. If they weren't going to obey their master he would make them pay.

Unless he wasn't their master anymore.

That thought had crossed his mind more than once as he fought his way through them, but he couldn't dwell on it too much. Especially now. Whatever was going on, it wasn't good. He just wanted to find Rey and get the hell out of here.

He heard a scream and a cry of pain and followed it.

As he rounded a corner he came across the traitor and the girl he recognized from the Supremacy video surveillance. They fired at him, but he knocked the blasts aside with a flick of his wrists.

"Stop."

They held their guns on him, but he held his hands out to show surrender.

At the moment he sensed a trooper and lashed out with his saber. As the top half of his body fell to the ground, they lowered their weapons and exchanged a glance.

"Have you seen Rey?" he asked them.

"Rey's here?" the traitor asked, taking a half step forward.

"You killed your own man?" the girl questioned.

"They apparently aren't mine any longer," he stated.

The traitor shook his head. "No, we-"

"Look out!"

Three other troopers entered their space and blasted at them without warning. Kylo pulled the Force too him just in time to keep the blaster beam from getting to the traitor.

He wasn't able to hold on for long.

Something sharp pricked him on the back of the neck and his hold on the Force flickered. He pushed back against the troopers, but it was minimal at best.

"No!"

The girl fired her blaster in quick succession, taking out the troopers in their moment of surprise. He turned in time to see her running to the traitor's side. Even with his vision distorting as it was he could see that he was gone; there was no way he could survive that size hole in his gut.

As blaster noise sounded again, Kylo knew it was close, but he couldn't move.

She moved towards him, tears in her eyes, and looked down at him at the spot he had collapsed on. "You saved him," she whispered.

Rey.

He called to her, but there was no answer. Nothing. He was alone save for this girl who loomed over him deciding if she should save him or herself.

Whatever he decision he hoped it was quick.

Kylo.

He heard her through the bond they shared, but it was faint and he was already giving into the blackness that called to him.


	20. Chapter 20

**a/n: well, originally this was going to be my end and I was going to call this part one. However, as I was starting the sequel, I realized I didn't have enough desire(?) to make it full length so I decided to keep going. Sorry for the slow posts! I keep forgetting about this story :(**

 **This story will be on hiatus for a bit, but that might change once I see Episode 9...**

 **Sorry my loves!**

 **Enjoy.**

 **TWENTY**

There was nothing but sand.

No matter what direction he looked in, there it was. A never ending sea of sand as far as the eye could see.

He knew it was Jakku, but he didn't know how he had gotten there.

A child screaming brought him to his knees. It was sharp and sounded as though it was right in his ear, but when he looked up, the child was off in the distance, screaming at the sky.

He pushed himself up and began fumbling towards her. It was much harder to walk in the sand than he remembered.

As he neared her, she turned towards him. Her face was streaked with tears; something that instantly attracted the dirt in the air.

The storm came out of nowhere and knocked him down. She disappeared from his sight. When the storm subsided he wasn't on Jakku anymore.

Instead he was at Luke's Jedi Temple.

It was lit up in smoke, the stench of death heavy in the air.

Luke was on his knees before the temple staring at the mass of bodies before him.

Kylo's hands balled into fists at his side as he remembered the way each of the other Jedi in training's life had drained out of them with the touch of his saber.

 _Yes, let the Dark flow through you. He may have sought to end you, but your path has only just begun. Come to me; I will teach you the way._

Snoke's words rang loud in his mind.

He clutched at his head and stumbled, catching himself on the ruins of a building before completely falling.

"I did this."

Kylo turned to see Luke standing behind him.

"I did this," Kylo corrected.

Luke shook his head. "If I hadn't reacted to the vision the way I did… I was wrong, Ben."

Kylo grit his teeth. "It doesn't matter now."

Luke reached out and touched Kylo's shoulder. The action felt as though a knife was slicing through his skin. He recoiled, but when he did, the scene changed again.

He was in Chandrila.

His childhood bedroom was as he remembered.

The balcony doors were opened wide and the moonlight spilled onto the floor.

He noticed the child in the bed and instinctively approached.

Thinking it was his younger self, he stopped; not wanting to see.

He stilled as a pair of arms wound around him from behind. A pair of lips pressed against his back before she moved forward, her arms staying around him.

"He's always so beautiful when he sleeps."

"Rey?"

He turned to look at her after hearing her voice, but her appearance was distorted. He couldn't truly see her.

"The best thing to happen, all things considered."

"Who is he?"

She pulled away from him, but when he reached for her, his hands simply went through her like a projection.

"He's everything."

 _Balance_.

"Rey!" he shouted as he reached for her again, but this time the floor slipped out from under him and he found himself surrounded in darkness.

A flicker of light got his attention and he felt something akin to ground beneath his feet. He waited for the flicker again and then saw her outline in the flash. He didn't say anything, just started to run. She did the same.

The closer they came, the more he felt her through the bond.

"Kylo!"

"Rey!"

They called for each other at the same time, the connection intense and blinding.

They were so close.

Their arms outstretched to grasp one another.

Just as their fingers met, everything dissolved.

* * *

Kylo woke with a start.

He leaned over the edge of whatever surface he was laying on as the contents of his stomach emptied all over the floor.

The woman by his bed jumped away and made a noise of contempt.

"Doctor! He's awake!" she called. "And send in a cleaning droid!"

Instead of laying down like his body wanted, he forced himself to sit on the edge of his hospital bed. The harsh lights of the infirmary made it hard for his eyes to adjust, but he would do anything to reach her.

"Rey…" he mumbled, forcing himself to his feet.

"Where do you- Help!"

The woman tried to get him back in bed, but he pushed her aside. Another step led him to discover the infusions he was hooked up to. He ripped them out of his body and stood up.

He grabbed the woman. "Where is she?" he rasped out.

"Let go! HELP!"

He let go of her and moved outside of the room he was contained in. He began ripping back curtains and flinging open doors, but there was no one in here.

Two men came to the woman's rescue. He waved his hand with the intention of using the Force to fling them aside, but nothing happened.

They raised their blasters at him.

Another man stepped between them, holding out his hands. "Please, just…wait."

"Where is she?"

"General Organa?"

The surprise of that name got to him, but he quickly shook it off. "Rey."

His features softened and he lowered his arms. "She's not… We…"

Kylo tried again with the Force.

Nothing.

"It's a side-effect of the Senflax," the man explained. "You may not be able to use the Force for a bit."

"Get out of my way."

He thought for a moment, but then stepped aside, beckoning for the others to do the same.

Kylo moved out of the infirmary, ready to knock down every door until someone gave up Rey's location.

What he didn't expect to find so readily was Leia, Dameron, and the girl from Taraa'oh.

Leia's face twisted into surprise when he flung the door open. Dameron drew his blaster, but the girl put her arm out and made him lower it.

"Where is she?" he asked. He hated repeating himself.

Leia's eyes softened into a look of pity and Kylo felt as though the ground had been ripped out from underneath him again.

"They have her," Dameron bit out. "Your men hit her with something and it took her down instantly. They dragged her off and pushed us back. I wasn't-" He had to stop as anger and regret washed over him.

"Do you feel her?" Leia asked.

Kylo couldn't speak. He gave a curt shake of his head, but he couldn't say it. He would never say it.

Dameron raised his blaster again, his eyes full of unshed tears. "Who the hell brought you here and why aren't you locked up?"

"I did," the girl said.

"Rose?" Leia questioned.

Dameron's hold on the blaster wavered, but he lowered it in the end.

"Finn…" Her voice broke and she cleared her throat to gain control of herself. "He got taken down by something similar to what you described about…" She couldn't say Rey's name either. "He was using the Force to keep a beam from hitting Finn. The troopers were going after him too, Leia."

"What were you doing in Taraa'oh?" Leia asked.

He swallowed, but it did nothing to relieve the tightness in his throat. "We were on vacation?"

"Vacation?" Dameron bit out. Realization washed over him and he looked from Kylo to Leia. "Rey's mission was _him_? She's been with him the whole time?"

"Mission?"

Leia looked at Kylo and shook her head. Then she looked at Dameron. "Rey was following her own path. It wasn't my story to tell."

"They're saying it was the Resistance that set off the attack," Rose stated.

"It was the First Order," Kylo declared.

"Your doing?"

"Not me," he said sternly, staring down the pilot. "Whatever transpired on Taraa'oh was all done without my knowledge. It seemed as though I put my trust in the wrong people."

Dameron winced as he shifted his weight and Rose reached out for him to use her as support.

"Rose, take Poe to the infirmary. We will continue this later when tensions aren't so high."

"I'm not leaving you with-"

"There's been enough loss," Leia interrupted. "If Kylo were going to do something, he would have by now." She eyed him cautiously. "I believe we all need a moment. We shall pick this up later."

Rose pulled Dameron out despite his obvious want to stay in the room and protect Leia.

Once they were alone, Kylo felt the strength begin to fade.

"I can't feel her," he whispered.

"If she was hit by the same thing as you, I doubt they intended to…"

"The doctor said it was Senflax."

"They had to know you were there."

Novak.

She was only one smart enough to pull this off the way she did. He had put too much trust in her and she had used that to her advantage.

"We need to take them down and get Rey out of there."

"We?" Leia was taken aback. "We've been trying to do that for years. What makes you think we can suddenly do it now? I'm sure you've noticed our numbers are a little short."

Her words were a direct attack to him. They weren't anything new.

All that mattered was Rey.

"It will never work if we don't put all of that aside for now. You want the First Order gone and for the first time I agree with you. Don't make me regret this."

Leia studied him for a long time.

"You love her."

Kylo closed his eyes and thought of their moment on the balcony at Taraa'oh with her in his arms, the breeze washing over both of them.

"Yes."

Leia nodded and put her hand on her son's shoulder tentatively. Kylo looked at it and then at her, but he didn't shy away from her.

"I need you to rest and let the doctor's help you. When everyone is rested, we'll start planning. If you're going to help us and vice versa, we need a clear plan and cooperation."

"Whatever it takes," he promised.

Leia watched as he turned, taking his leave back to the infirmary.

A small smile graced her lips and a tear spilled from the corner of her eyes.

Rey had done it.

She had found her son beneath the Dark and started bringing him back to the surface.

If they didn't get Rey back, all of that would be undone and Ben was sure to be gone forever.

Leia couldn't let that happen; no matter the cost.


End file.
